Smith County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Center Township and Smith Center
No data center or power plant project is on record in Smith County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Smith County is home to Center Township and Smith Center. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,336 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019. Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Smith County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.29¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 3,566 people live here, up 0.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Smith County
Smith County is home to Center Township and Smith Center.
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 Smith County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,566 | 3,566 | ● 0.0% | 76th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,309 | 1,336 | ▲ 2.1% | 39th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,512 | $43,668 | ▲ 38.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
Who powers Smith County
Utilities with service territory in Smith 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% |
| Rolling Hills Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southern Public Power District | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Smith County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Smith County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,336 | $43,668 | 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 Smith County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Smith County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Smith County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Smith County, Webster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County | 3,566 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County NE | 2,795 | ▲ 6.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Jewell County | 2,830 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Osborne County | 3,285 | ▼ 15.8% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Phillips County | 4,728 | ▼ 6.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Rooks County | 4,646 | ▼ 2.7% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Webster County NE | 3,336 | ▲ 1.7% | 347 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Smith County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Smith County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Smith County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, Rolling Hills Electric Coop, Southern Public Power District. The largest, Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 14.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Smith County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Smith County.
Is Smith County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,336 jobs in 2025 against 1,309 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Smith County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Smith County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.