Cloud County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Concordia
Cloud County is a generation frontier for Kansas. Cloud County is home to Concordia, Elk Township, Clyde and Starr Township. 202 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Plum Nellie Wind Farm LLC (wind), the 4th largest pipeline among Kansas's counties. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 201 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Employers here counted 3,190 jobs in 2025, up 2.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Cloud County
Cloud County is home to Concordia, Elk Township, Clyde and Starr Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ames.
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 Cloud County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,010 | 8,833 | ▼ 2.0% | 44th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,128 | 3,190 | ▲ 2.0% | 40th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,296 | $42,894 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.8% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 202 MW | 100% of today's fleet | 4th of 10 by size |
Evergy Kansas Central, Inc is the largest utility serving Cloud County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.29¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 8,833 people live here, down 2.0% since 2020.
Who powers Cloud County
Utilities with service territory in Cloud County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergy Kansas Central, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 341,806 | 14.29¢ | 44% |
| Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,273 | 14.29¢ | 28% |
| DS&O Electric Cooperative, Inc. | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Glasco - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rolling Hills Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bluestem 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 201 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud County Wind Farm | Cloud County Windfarm, LLC | Wind | 201 MW | 2008 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plum Nellie Wind Farm LLC | Onshore Wind Turbine | 202 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Plum Nellie Wind Farm LLC |
The Cloud County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,190 | $42,894 | 1.00 |
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 Cloud County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cloud County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Cloud County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Cloud County, Republic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud County | 8,833 | ▲ 2.0% | 201 MW | 202 MW | — | — |
| Clay County | 7,990 | ▼ 4.8% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Jewell County | 2,830 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Mitchell County | 5,590 | ▼ 1.4% | 21 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Ottawa County | 5,744 | ▼ 0.5% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Republic County | 4,640 | ▲ 5.3% | 653 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 5,533 | ▲ 0.4% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Cloud County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cloud County, Kansas?
6 utilities have service territory in Cloud County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, DS&O Electric Cooperative, Inc., City of Glasco - (KS). The largest, Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, charged residential customers 14.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Cloud County?
1 operating plant with 201 MW of capacity. The largest is Cloud County Wind Farm (201 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Cloud County?
202 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Plum Nellie Wind Farm LLC.
Are there data centers in Cloud County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cloud County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mitchell County.
Is Cloud County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,190 jobs in 2025 against 3,128 in 2019 (+2.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Cloud County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cloud County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.