Woodson County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Yates Center
No data center or power plant project is on record in Woodson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Woodson County is home to Yates Center and Center Township. Employers here counted 663 jobs in 2025, down 9.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.0% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Evergy Kansas Central, Inc is the largest utility serving Woodson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.29¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.97¢ median for Kansas utilities. 3,118 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Woodson County
Woodson County is home to Yates Center and Center Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Piqua.
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 Woodson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,095 | 3,118 | ▲ 0.7% | 79th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 730 | 663 | ▼ 9.2% | 95th of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,189 | $39,891 | ▲ 41.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 6.0% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
Who powers Woodson County
Utilities with service territory in Woodson 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% |
| Heartland Rural Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Toronto - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Woodson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Woodson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 663 | $39,891 | 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 Woodson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Woodson County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Woodson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Woodson County, Coffey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodson County | 3,118 | ▼ 9.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Allen County | 12,302 | ▼ 2.8% | 229 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Anderson County | 8,018 | ▲ 15.0% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Coffey County | 8,467 | ▼ 5.2% | 1,527 MW | — | — | — |
| Greenwood County | 5,826 | ▼ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Neosho County | 15,637 | ▲ 2.0% | 431 MW | 7 MW | — | — |
| Wilson County | 8,299 | ▼ 19.5% | 6 MW | 65 MW | — | — |
More of Kansas
Woodson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Woodson County, Kansas?
4 utilities have service territory in Woodson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, Evergy Kansas South, Inc, Heartland Rural Elec Coop, Inc, City of Toronto - (KS). The largest, Evergy Kansas Central, Inc, charged residential customers 14.29¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Woodson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Woodson County.
Is Woodson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 663 jobs in 2025 against 730 in 2019 (-9.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Woodson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Woodson County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.