Grant County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ulysses
Grant 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. Grant County is home to Ulysses. Construction employs 145, down 21.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,669 jobs in 2025, down 5.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 120 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Grant County
Grant County is home to Ulysses.
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 Grant County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,325 | 7,028 | ▼ 4.1% | 52nd of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,810 | 2,669 | ▼ 5.0% | 81st of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,304 | $53,410 | ▲ 17.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 185 | 145 | ▼ 21.6% | 49th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Grant County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.19¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 7,028 people live here, down 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Grant County
Utilities with service territory in Grant County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,031 | 11.19¢ | 34% |
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 | 120 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rubart | Sunflower Electric Power Corp | Natural gas | 120 MW | 2014 |
The Grant County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,669 | $53,410 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 145 | $53,452 | 1.03 |
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 Grant County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Grant County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Grant County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Grant County, Finney 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 7,028 | ▼ 5.0% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
| Finney County | 37,505 | ▲ 5.1% | 635 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 2,500 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Haskell County | 3,599 | ▲ 3.8% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Kearny County | 3,888 | ▲ 12.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanton County | 1,986 | ▼ 19.0% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
| Stevens County | 4,984 | ▲ 15.6% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Grant County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grant County, Kansas?
1 utility has service territory in Grant County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS). The largest, Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.19¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Grant County?
1 operating plant with 120 MW of capacity. The largest is Rubart (120 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Grant County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grant County.
Is Grant County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,669 jobs in 2025 against 2,810 in 2019 (-5.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 185 to 145.
Does Grant County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Grant County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.