Osborne County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Osborne
No data center or power plant project is on record in Osborne County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Osborne County is home to Osborne, Ross Township and Downs. Employers here counted 1,254 jobs in 2025, down 15.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019. Next door, Ellis County has 1 data center. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 76% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Osborne County
Osborne County is home to Osborne, Ross Township and Downs.
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 Osborne County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,487 | 3,285 | ▼ 5.8% | 78th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,489 | 1,254 | ▼ 15.8% | 99th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,065 | $42,168 | ▲ 20.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Osborne County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.44¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 3,285 people live here, down 5.8% since 2020.
Who powers Osborne County
Utilities with service territory in Osborne 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% |
| Western Coop Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,799 | 14.17¢ | 79% |
| City of Osborne - (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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 76% |
| Natural gas | 2 MW | 24% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osborne | City of Osborne - (KS) | Petroleum | 7 MW | 1957 |
The Osborne County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,254 | $42,168 | 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 Osborne County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Osborne County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Osborne County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Osborne County, Ellis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osborne County | 3,285 | ▼ 15.8% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Ellis County | 29,075 | ▼ 0.8% | 308 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Jewell County | 2,830 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 2,861 | ▼ 7.3% | 258 MW | — | — | — |
| Mitchell County | 5,590 | ▼ 1.4% | 21 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Rooks County | 4,646 | ▼ 2.7% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Russell County | 6,581 | ▲ 3.3% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 3,566 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Osborne County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Osborne County, Kansas?
5 utilities have service territory in Osborne County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, Western Coop Electric Assn Inc, City of Osborne - (KS). The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Osborne County?
1 operating plant with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Osborne (7 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Osborne County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Osborne County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ellis County.
Is Osborne County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,254 jobs in 2025 against 1,489 in 2019 (-15.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Osborne County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Osborne County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.