Norton County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Norton and Center-District 1 Township
Norton 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. Norton County is home to Norton, Center-District 1 Township and Highland-District 2 Township. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019. Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Norton 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. Employers here counted 2,328 jobs in 2025, down 0.2% from 2019. 5,288 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Norton County
Norton County is home to Norton, Center-District 1 Township and Highland-District 2 Township.
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 Norton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,452 | 5,288 | ▼ 3.0% | 65th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,332 | 2,328 | ▼ 0.2% | 54th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,289 | $48,842 | ▲ 27.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 52 | 49 | ▼ 5.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
Who powers Norton County
Utilities with service territory in Norton 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% |
| Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,273 | 14.29¢ | 28% |
| City of Norton | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Norton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Norton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,328 | $48,842 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 49 | $50,980 | 0.40 |
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 Norton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Norton County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Furnas County, Harlan County.
Norton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Norton County, Furnas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton County | 5,288 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Decatur County | 2,716 | ▼ 10.5% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Furnas County NE | 4,524 | ▼ 8.3% | 7 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Graham County | 2,371 | ▼ 5.8% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Harlan County NE | 3,000 | ▲ 1.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Phillips County | 4,728 | ▼ 6.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 2,427 | ▲ 1.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Norton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Norton County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Norton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, City of Norton. The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Norton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Norton County.
Is Norton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,328 jobs in 2025 against 2,332 in 2019 (-0.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 52 to 49.
Does Norton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Norton County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.