Wilson County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Neodesha and Fredonia
Wilson County is where a large share of Kansas's next power plants are planned. Wilson County is home to Neodesha, Fredonia, Neodesha Township and Cedar Township. Construction employs 276, up 27.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,896 jobs in 2025, down 19.5% from 2019. 65 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Evergy Missouri West (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Kansas's counties. 65 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Wilson County
Wilson County is home to Neodesha, Fredonia, Neodesha Township and Cedar Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lafontaine.
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 Wilson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,581 | 8,299 | ▼ 3.3% | 46th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,596 | 2,896 | ▼ 19.5% | 104th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,982 | $48,206 | ▲ 30.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 217 | 276 | ▲ 27.2% | 22nd of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.3% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 65 MW | 1083% of today's fleet | 6th of 10 by size |
6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 50% of it petroleum. Evergy Kansas Central, Inc is the largest utility serving Wilson County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.29¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 8,299 people live here, down 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Wilson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wilson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergy Kansas Central, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 341,806 | 14.29¢ | 44% |
| Evergy Kansas South, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 302,508 | 14.25¢ | 32% |
| City of Fredonia - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Neodesha - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Heartland Rural Elec 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 3 MW | 50% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 50% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredonia (KS) | City of Fredonia - (KS) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 2023 |
| Fredonia Solar (KS) | PPM Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
| Studebaker | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflower Sky Energy Center | Solar Photovoltaic | 65 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Evergy Missouri West |
The Wilson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,896 | $48,206 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 276 | $79,117 | 1.80 |
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 Wilson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wilson County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Wilson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Wilson County, Neosho 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County | 8,299 | ▼ 19.5% | 6 MW | 65 MW | — | — |
| Allen County | 12,302 | ▼ 2.8% | 229 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Elk County | 2,458 | ▲ 8.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Greenwood County | 5,826 | ▼ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 30,177 | ▼ 2.2% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Neosho County | 15,637 | ▲ 2.0% | 431 MW | 7 MW | — | — |
| Woodson County | 3,118 | ▼ 9.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Wilson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wilson County, Kansas?
5 utilities have service territory in Wilson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, Evergy Kansas South, Inc, City of Fredonia - (KS), City of Neodesha - (KS). The largest, Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, charged residential customers 14.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Wilson County?
3 operating plants with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Fredonia (KS) (3 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Wilson County?
65 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 65 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Evergy Missouri West.
Are there data centers in Wilson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wilson County.
Is Wilson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,896 jobs in 2025 against 3,596 in 2019 (-19.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 217 to 276.
Does Wilson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wilson County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.