Rush County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to La Crosse-Brookdale Township and La Crosse
No data center or power plant project is on record in Rush County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Rush County is home to La Crosse-Brookdale Township and La Crosse. Next door, Ellis County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Employers here counted 1,029 jobs in 2025, down 3.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Rush County
Rush County is home to La Crosse-Brookdale Township and La Crosse.
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 Rush County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,940 | 2,845 | ▼ 3.2% | 81st of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,071 | 1,029 | ▼ 3.9% | 76th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,599 | $45,954 | ▲ 32.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 58 MW of capacity, 87% of it wind. Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Rush County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.44¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 2,845 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Rush County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rush 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% |
| Western Coop Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,799 | 14.17¢ | 79% |
| City of La Crosse - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lane-Scott Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 51 MW | 87% |
| Petroleum | 8 MW | 13% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Wind Farm LLC | SRIV Partnership LLC | Wind | 51 MW | 2015 |
| La Crosse | City of La Crosse - (KS) | Petroleum | 8 MW | 1962 |
The Rush County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,029 | $45,954 | 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 Rush County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rush County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Rush County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Rush 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush County | 2,845 | ▼ 3.9% | 58 MW | — | — | — |
| Barton County | 24,790 | ▼ 6.2% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
| Ellis County | 29,075 | ▼ 0.8% | 308 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Ness County | 2,617 | ▼ 4.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Pawnee County | 5,991 | ▼ 5.2% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Russell County | 6,581 | ▲ 3.3% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Rush County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rush County, Kansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Rush County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Western Coop Electric Assn Inc, City of La Crosse - (KS), Lane-Scott Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Rush County?
2 operating plants with 58 MW of capacity. The largest is Alexander Wind Farm LLC (51 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Rush County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rush County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ellis County.
Is Rush County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,029 jobs in 2025 against 1,071 in 2019 (-3.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Rush County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rush County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.