Clarke County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Quitman
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clarke County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Clarke County is home to Quitman and Stonewall. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. Construction employs 112, down 26.8% since 2019. Next door, Lauderdale County has 1 data center. 78 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Clarke County
Clarke County is home to Quitman and Stonewall.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): De Soto.
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 Clarke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,545 | 15,102 | ▼ 2.8% | 56th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,943 | 2,828 | ▼ 3.9% | 54th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,200 | $43,971 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 153 | 112 | ▼ 26.8% | 42nd of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 3.4% | ▼ 2.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 78 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 2,828 jobs in 2025, down 3.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 78 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Clarke County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.47¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 15,102 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Clarke County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +78 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clarke County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 157,437 | 14.47¢ | 30% |
| Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,803 | 13.44¢ | 24% |
| East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,885 | 14.26¢ | 42% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 78 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cane Creek | Cane Creek Solar, LLC | Solar | 78 MW | 2024 |
The Clarke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,828 | $43,971 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 112 | $94,377 | 0.75 |
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 Clarke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clarke County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Clarke County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clarke County, Jasper 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County | 15,102 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Choctaw County AL | 11,904 | ▼ 7.9% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Jasper County | 15,785 | ▼ 4.3% | — | 150 MW | — | — |
| Lauderdale County | 70,317 | ▼ 6.3% | 108 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Newton County | 20,960 | ▼ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 19,807 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Clarke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarke County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Clarke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS), East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clarke County?
1 operating plant with 78 MW of capacity. The largest is Cane Creek (78 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Clarke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clarke County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lauderdale County.
Is Clarke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,828 jobs in 2025 against 2,943 in 2019 (-3.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 153 to 112.
Does Clarke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clarke County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.