Gove County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Baker Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Gove County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Gove County is home to Baker Township and Quinter. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,152 jobs in 2025, down 11.9% from 2019. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Gove County
Gove County is home to Baker Township and Quinter.
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 Gove County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,712 | 2,631 | ▼ 3.0% | 87th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,307 | 1,152 | ▼ 11.9% | 98th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,401 | $45,559 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Gove 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. 2,631 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Gove County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Gove 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% |
| Western Coop Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,799 | 14.17¢ | 79% |
| Lane-Scott 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 | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Plains Wind | Western Plains Wind, LLC | Wind | 3 MW | 2021 |
The Gove County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,152 | $45,559 | 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 Gove County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gove County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Gove County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Gove County, Thomas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gove County | 2,631 | ▼ 11.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Graham County | 2,371 | ▼ 5.8% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Lane County | 1,508 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 2,661 | ▲ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Ness County | 2,617 | ▼ 4.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Scott County | 4,815 | ▼ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 2,427 | ▲ 1.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Thomas County | 7,725 | ▼ 0.4% | 509 MW | — | — | — |
| Trego County | 2,740 | ▼ 17.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Gove County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gove County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Gove County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Western Coop Electric Assn Inc, Lane-Scott Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gove County?
1 operating plant with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Western Plains Wind (3 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Gove County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gove County.
Is Gove County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,152 jobs in 2025 against 1,307 in 2019 (-11.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Gove County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gove County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.