Cherokee County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Baxter Springs, Columbus and Galena
Cherokee County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Cherokee County is home to Baxter Springs, Columbus, Galena and Garden Township. Construction employs 614, up 22.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 27 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Empire District Electric Co (natural gas), the 7th largest pipeline among Kansas's counties. 27 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Jasper County, Missouri, has 1 data center. 33 MW has retired here since 2019, including Riverton (natural gas, 33 MW, 2026).
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Baxter Springs, Columbus, Galena and Garden Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Crestline, Hallowell, Lowell, Riverton.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,303 | 19,105 | ▼ 1.0% | 28th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,960 | 5,968 | ▲ 0.1% | 52nd of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,665 | $60,831 | ▲ 49.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 500 | 614 | ▲ 22.8% | 25th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 33 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 27 MW | 10% of today's fleet | 7th of 10 by size |
Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 268 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Evergy Kansas South, Inc is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.25¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 5,968 jobs in 2025, up 0.1% from 2019. 19,105 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Cherokee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −33 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergy Kansas South, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 302,508 | 14.25¢ | 32% |
| Empire District Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 8,412 | 13.34¢ | 25% |
| Heartland Rural Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Twin Valley Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 268 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverton | Empire District Electric Co | Natural gas | 268 MW | 2007 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverton | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 14 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Empire District Electric Co |
| Riverton | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 14 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Empire District Electric Co |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverton | Natural gas | 33 MW | 2026 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,968 | $60,831 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 614 | $92,100 | 1.94 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Cherokee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cherokee County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Cherokee County, Jasper County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 19,105 | ▲ 0.1% | 268 MW | 27 MW | — | — |
| Craig County OK | 14,518 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 39,008 | ▼ 0.2% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Jasper County MO | 127,428 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,114 MW | 109 MW | 1 | — |
| Labette County | 19,685 | ▼ 4.3% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Newton County MO | 62,263 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Ottawa County OK | 30,438 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, Kansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Kansas South, Inc, Empire District Electric Co, Heartland Rural Elec Coop, Inc, Twin Valley Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Evergy Kansas South, Inc, charged residential customers 14.25¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
1 operating plant with 268 MW of capacity. The largest is Riverton (268 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Cherokee County?
27 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 27 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Empire District Electric Co.
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cherokee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jasper County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,968 jobs in 2025 against 5,960 in 2019 (+0.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 500 to 614.
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cherokee County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.