Tensas Parish, Louisiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Tensas Parish 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. Tensas Parish is home to Newellton and St. Joseph. Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 8.7% in 2019. Next door, Warren County, Mississippi, has 1 data center and 835 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 792 jobs in 2025, down 10.5% from 2019. 3,700 people live here, down 9.9% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish is home to Newellton and St. Joseph.
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 Tensas Parish
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Louisiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,107 | 3,700 | ▼ 9.9% | 64th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 885 | 792 | ▼ 10.5% | 60th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,520 | $44,598 | ▲ 29.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.7% | 6.2% | ▼ 2.5pts | — |
Entergy Louisiana LLC is the largest utility serving Tensas Parish, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.05¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.88¢ median for Louisiana utilities.
Who powers Tensas Parish
Utilities with service territory in Tensas 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% |
| Concordia Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,879 | 13.36¢ | 24% |
| Northeast Louisiana Power Coop Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,543 | 10.66¢ | 23% |
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 Tensas Parish in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Tensas Parish labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 792 | $44,598 | 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 Tensas Parish
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Tensas Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Tensas Parish and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Tensas Parish, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensas Parish | 3,700 | ▼ 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County MS | 30,061 | ▼ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Catahoula Parish | 8,223 | ▲ 13.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Claiborne County MS | 8,058 | ▼ 6.8% | 1,440 MW | — | — | — |
| Concordia Parish | 17,836 | ▼ 4.2% | 192 MW | — | — | — |
| Franklin Parish | 19,002 | ▼ 3.1% | — | 5 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County MS | 6,825 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison Parish | 8,844 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Warren County MS | 41,759 | ▼ 5.9% | 58 MW | 835 MW | 1 | — |
More of Louisiana
Tensas Parish, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Tensas Parish, Louisiana?
3 utilities have service territory in Tensas Parish in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Louisiana LLC, Concordia Electric Coop, Inc, Northeast Louisiana Power Coop Inc.. The largest, Entergy Louisiana LLC, charged residential customers 11.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Tensas Parish?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Tensas Parish. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is Tensas Parish adding jobs?
Employers counted 792 jobs in 2025 against 885 in 2019 (-10.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Tensas Parish have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Tensas Parish. Louisiana has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.