Morton County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elkhart
Morton 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. Morton County is home to Elkhart. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 746 jobs in 2025, down 8.6% from 2019. 2,470 people live here, down 8.4% since 2020. Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Morton County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.19¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities.
Cities and towns in Morton County
Morton County is home to Elkhart.
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 Morton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,697 | 2,470 | ▼ 8.4% | 92nd of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 816 | 746 | ▼ 8.6% | 94th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,156 | $45,822 | ▲ 26.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
Who powers Morton County
Utilities with service territory in Morton 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% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (OK) | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,079 | 16.23¢ | 50% |
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 Morton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Morton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 746 | $45,822 | 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 Morton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Morton County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Morton County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Morton County, Texas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morton County | 2,470 | ▼ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Baca County CO | 3,347 | ▲ 4.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Cimarron County OK | 2,059 | ▼ 16.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanton County | 1,986 | ▼ 19.0% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
| Stevens County | 4,984 | ▲ 15.6% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Texas County OK | 20,322 | ▲ 2.8% | 201 MW | 102 MW | — | — |
More of Kansas
Morton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morton County, Kansas?
2 utilities have service territory in Morton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS), Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (OK). The largest, Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.19¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Morton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morton County.
Is Morton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 746 jobs in 2025 against 816 in 2019 (-8.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Morton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Morton County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.