Benton County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lamar
Benton County hosts some of the generating capacity Mississippi runs on. Benton County is home to Ashland. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,065 jobs in 2025, up 10.4% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 82 Mississippi counties). Its power plants have 1,004 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in Mississippi. City of Holly Springs is the largest utility serving Benton County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.25¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Cities and towns in Benton County
Benton County is home to Ashland.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lamar.
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 Benton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,667 | 7,502 | ▼ 2.2% | 76th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 965 | 1,065 | ▲ 10.4% | 8th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,726 | $48,207 | ▲ 31.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 3.3% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
7,502 people live here, down 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Benton County
Utilities with service territory in Benton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Holly Springs | Municipal | Bundled | 9,399 | 12.25¢ | 33% |
| City of New Albany - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,157 | 12.39¢ | 34% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,004 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Power Plant | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 1,004 MW | 2003 |
The Benton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,065 | $48,207 | 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 Benton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Benton County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Benton County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Benton County, Hardeman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 7,502 | ▲ 10.4% | 1,004 MW | — | — | — |
| Fayette County TN | 45,071 | ▲ 5.4% | 180 MW | — | — | — |
| Hardeman County TN | 25,274 | ▼ 7.2% | 18 MW | 55 MW | — | — |
| Marshall County | 34,654 | ▲ 52.9% | 10 MW | 55 MW | — | — |
| Tippah County | 21,389 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 28,459 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Benton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Benton County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Benton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Holly Springs, City of New Albany - (MS). The largest, City of Holly Springs, charged residential customers 12.25¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Benton County?
1 operating plant with 1,004 MW of capacity. The largest is Magnolia Power Plant (1,004 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Benton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Benton County.
Is Benton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,065 jobs in 2025 against 965 in 2019 (+10.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Benton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Benton County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.