Choctaw County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ackerman
Choctaw County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Choctaw County is home to Ackerman. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 2,263 MW of capacity, 77% of it natural gas, the 2nd largest fleet in Mississippi. Next door, Oktibbeha County has 1 data center. Entergy Mississippi LLC is the largest utility serving Choctaw County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.21¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Cities and towns in Choctaw County
Choctaw County is home to Ackerman.
- Mathiston also extends into Webster County.
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 Choctaw County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,204 | 8,048 | ▼ 1.9% | 74th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,259 | 2,257 | ▼ 0.1% | 39th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,987 | $54,833 | ▲ 24.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 3.5% | ▼ 3.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 2,257 jobs in 2025, down 0.1% from 2019. 8,048 people live here, down 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Choctaw County
Utilities with service territory in Choctaw County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Mississippi LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,611 | 13.21¢ | 39% |
| 4-County Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,076 | 12.88¢ | 29% |
| Delta Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,460 | 13.75¢ | 8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,750 MW | 77% |
| Coal | 514 MW | 23% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choctaw County | Entergy Mississippi LLC | Natural gas | 899 MW | 2003 |
| Quantum Choctaw Power LLC | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 850 MW | 2006 |
| Red Hills Generating Facility | Choctaw Generation L.P, L.L.L.P. | Coal | 514 MW | 2001 |
The Choctaw County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,257 | $54,833 | 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 Choctaw County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Choctaw County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Choctaw County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Choctaw County, Attala 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choctaw County | 8,048 | ▼ 0.1% | 2,263 MW | — | — | — |
| Attala County | 17,100 | ▲ 1.0% | 551 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 9,354 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Oktibbeha County | 51,896 | ▲ 0.1% | 26 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Webster County | 10,167 | ▲ 4.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Winston County | 17,473 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Choctaw County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Choctaw County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Choctaw County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Mississippi LLC, 4-County Electric Power Assn, Delta Electric Power Assn. The largest, Entergy Mississippi LLC, charged residential customers 13.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Choctaw County?
3 operating plants with 2,263 MW of capacity. The largest is Choctaw County (899 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Choctaw County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Choctaw County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Oktibbeha County.
Is Choctaw County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,257 jobs in 2025 against 2,259 in 2019 (-0.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Choctaw County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Choctaw County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.