Edwards County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kinsley
Edwards 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. Edwards County is home to Kinsley. Employers here counted 1,079 jobs in 2025, up 14.3% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 105 Kansas counties). Next door, Ford County has 327 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 2,640 people live here, down 8.6% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Edwards County
Edwards County is home to Kinsley.
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 Edwards County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,889 | 2,640 | ▼ 8.6% | 86th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 944 | 1,079 | ▲ 14.3% | 7th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,718 | $48,152 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.9% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Edwards County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.44¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities.
Who powers Edwards County
Utilities with service territory in Edwards County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,832 | 11.44¢ | 25% |
| Victory Electric Coop Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,243 | 11.86¢ | 26% |
| Ninnescah Rural E C A 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.
No operating power plant is located in Edwards County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Edwards County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,079 | $48,152 | 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 Edwards County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Edwards County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Edwards County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Edwards County, Ford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards County | 2,640 | ▲ 14.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Ford County | 33,993 | ▲ 8.4% | 1,480 MW | 327 MW | — | — |
| Hodgeman County | 1,619 | ▲ 3.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Kiowa County | 2,432 | ▼ 4.6% | 118 MW | — | — | — |
| Pawnee County | 5,991 | ▼ 5.2% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Pratt County | 9,117 | ▲ 1.7% | 705 MW | 202 MW | — | — |
| Stafford County | 4,005 | ▼ 2.3% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Edwards County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Edwards County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Edwards County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Victory Electric Coop Assn Inc, Ninnescah Rural E C A Inc. The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Edwards County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Edwards County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ford County.
Is Edwards County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,079 jobs in 2025 against 944 in 2019 (+14.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Edwards County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Edwards County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.