Mitchell County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Beloit
Mitchell County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mitchell County, 5% of Kansas's total. Mitchell County is home to Beloit. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Construction employs 160, up 0.6% since 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Mitchell County
Mitchell County is home to Beloit.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Asherville.
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 Mitchell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,776 | 5,590 | ▼ 3.2% | 61st of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,109 | 3,065 | ▼ 1.4% | 60th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,907 | $48,574 | ▲ 35.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 159 | 160 | ▲ 0.6% | 38th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 21 MW of capacity, 91% of it natural gas. Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Mitchell County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.29¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. Employers here counted 3,065 jobs in 2025, down 1.4% from 2019. 5,590 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Mitchell County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Mitchell County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,273 | 14.29¢ | 28% |
| City of Beloit - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Cawker City - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Glen Elder - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rolling Hills Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 19 MW | 91% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beloit | City of Beloit - (KS) | Natural gas | 19 MW | 1950 |
| Beloit Solar LLC | PPM Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2022 |
The Mitchell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,065 | $48,574 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 160 | $54,863 | 0.99 |
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 Mitchell County
1 data center in Mitchell County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Mitchell County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Mitchell County, Cloud 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County | 5,590 | ▼ 1.4% | 21 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cloud County | 8,833 | ▲ 2.0% | 201 MW | 202 MW | — | — |
| Jewell County | 2,830 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 2,861 | ▼ 7.3% | 258 MW | — | — | — |
| Osborne County | 3,285 | ▼ 15.8% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Ottawa County | 5,744 | ▼ 0.5% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Mitchell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mitchell County, Kansas?
5 utilities have service territory in Mitchell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, City of Beloit - (KS), City of Cawker City - (KS), City of Glen Elder - (KS). The largest, Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 14.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Mitchell County?
2 operating plants with 21 MW of capacity. The largest is Beloit (19 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Mitchell County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mitchell County.
Is Mitchell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,065 jobs in 2025 against 3,109 in 2019 (-1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 159 to 160.
Does Mitchell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mitchell County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.