Jackson Parish, Louisiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jonesboro
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jackson Parish, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jackson Parish is home to Jonesboro and Chatham. Employers here counted 3,943 jobs in 2025, up 16.1% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 64 Louisiana counties). Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 66 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Electrical contractors employ 43, at an average $49,983 a year.
Cities and towns in Jackson Parish
Jackson Parish is home to Jonesboro and Chatham.
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 Jackson Parish
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Louisiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,996 | 15,834 | ▲ 5.6% | 50th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,396 | 3,943 | ▲ 16.1% | 2nd of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,522 | $55,554 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 3.9% | ▼ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Entergy Louisiana LLC is the largest utility serving Jackson Parish. Its residential customers paid an average 11.05¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.88¢ median for Louisiana utilities. 15,834 people live here, up 5.6% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson Parish
Utilities with service territory in Jackson Parish
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Louisiana LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 957,522 | 11.05¢ | 20% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 66 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westrock Hodge (LA) | Westrock (LA) | Other technologies | 66 MW | 1957 |
The Jackson Parish labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,943 | $55,554 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 154 | $55,477 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 43 | $49,983 | 1.51 |
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 Jackson Parish
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jackson Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Jackson Parish and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jackson Parish, Ouachita Parish 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Parish | 15,834 | ▲ 16.1% | 66 MW | — | — | — |
| Bienville Parish | 12,269 | ▼ 6.0% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Caldwell Parish | 9,344 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln Parish | 48,360 | ▼ 1.0% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Ouachita Parish | 158,542 | ▲ 0.1% | 2,020 MW | — | — | — |
| Winn Parish | 14,961 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Louisiana
Jackson Parish, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson Parish, Louisiana?
1 utility has service territory in Jackson Parish in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Louisiana LLC. The largest, Entergy Louisiana LLC, charged residential customers 11.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jackson Parish?
1 operating plant with 66 MW of capacity. The largest is Westrock Hodge (LA) (66 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Jackson Parish?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jackson Parish.
Is Jackson Parish adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,943 jobs in 2025 against 3,396 in 2019 (+16.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jackson Parish have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.