Thomas County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Colby
Thomas 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. Thomas County is home to Colby and Morgan Township. 477 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Construction employs 213, up 2.4% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 509 MW of capacity, 93% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Thomas County
Thomas County is home to Colby and Morgan Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Levant.
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 Thomas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,926 | 7,725 | ▼ 2.5% | 49th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,119 | 4,102 | ▼ 0.4% | 56th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,278 | $50,081 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 208 | 213 | ▲ 2.4% | 36th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 477 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) is the largest utility serving Thomas 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 4,102 jobs in 2025, down 0.4% from 2019. 7,725 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Thomas County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +477 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Thomas 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 Colby - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 471 MW | 93% |
| Petroleum | 21 MW | 4% |
| Natural gas | 16 MW | 3% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Forks Wind Project, LLC | Engie North America | Wind | 276 MW | 2019 |
| East Fork Wind Project, LLC | Engie North America | Wind | 196 MW | 2020 |
| Colby City of | City of Colby - (KS) | Petroleum | 21 MW | 1958 |
| Colby | Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) | Natural gas | 16 MW | 1970 |
| Midwest Energy Community Solar Array | Midwest Energy Inc - (KS) | Solar | 1 MW | 2015 |
The Thomas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,102 | $50,081 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 213 | $70,716 | 0.98 |
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 Thomas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Thomas County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Thomas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Thomas County, Sherman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas County | 7,725 | ▼ 0.4% | 509 MW | — | — | — |
| Decatur County | 2,716 | ▼ 10.5% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Gove County | 2,631 | ▼ 11.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 2,661 | ▲ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Rawlins County | 2,431 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 2,427 | ▲ 1.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Sherman County | 5,763 | ▼ 3.5% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Thomas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Thomas County, Kansas?
3 utilities have service territory in Thomas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), Prairie Land Electric Coop Inc, City of Colby - (KS). The largest, Midwest Energy Inc - (KS), charged residential customers 11.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Thomas County?
5 operating plants with 509 MW of capacity. The largest is Solomon Forks Wind Project, LLC (276 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Thomas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Thomas County.
Is Thomas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,102 jobs in 2025 against 4,119 in 2019 (-0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 208 to 213.
Does Thomas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Thomas County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.