Harrison County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gulfport, Biloxi and Long Beach
Harrison County supplies the labor the power build-out runs on. Harrison County is home to Gulfport, Biloxi, Long Beach and D'Iberville. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 664, up 28.7% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $56,472 a year. Construction employs 3,818, up 11.4% since 2019. Its power plants have 923 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Mississippi.
Cities and towns in Harrison County
Harrison County is home to Gulfport, Biloxi, Long Beach and D'Iberville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): DeLisle, Henderson Point, Lyman, Saucier.
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 Harrison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 208,821 | 217,136 | ▲ 4.0% | 1st of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 86,656 | 90,122 | ▲ 4.0% | 25th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,087 | $50,773 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,428 | 3,818 | ▲ 11.4% | 24th of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 516 | 664 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 3.0% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 90,122 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Harrison 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. 217,136 people live here, up 4.0% since 2020, 1st of 82 Mississippi counties by population.
Who powers Harrison County
Utilities with service territory in Harrison 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% |
| Coast Electric Power Assn - (MS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 82,510 | 13.81¢ | 23% |
| Singing River Elec Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,343 | 13.46¢ | 24% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 919 MW | 100% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Watson | Mississippi Power Co | Natural gas | 919 MW | 1968 |
| Gulfport Naval Base CSG PV System | Arcadia Solar, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2017 |
The Harrison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 90,122 | $50,773 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,818 | $68,444 | 0.80 |
| Electrical contractors | 664 | $56,472 | 1.02 |
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 Harrison County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harrison County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Harrison County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Harrison County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 217,136 | ▲ 4.0% | 923 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 46,873 | ▲ 6.5% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 147,666 | ▲ 3.8% | 2,400 MW | — | — | — |
| Pearl River County | 59,363 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Stone County | 19,654 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Harrison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harrison County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Harrison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Coast Electric Power Assn - (MS), Singing River Elec Cooperative. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Gulfport, MS in?
Gulfport is in Harrison County, Mississippi. About 76,506 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Biloxi, MS in?
Biloxi is in Harrison County, Mississippi. About 48,516 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Long Beach, MS in?
Long Beach is in Harrison County, Mississippi. About 17,309 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Harrison County?
2 operating plants with 923 MW of capacity. The largest is Jack Watson (919 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Harrison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harrison County.
Is Harrison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 90,122 jobs in 2025 against 86,656 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,428 to 3,818.
Does Harrison County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harrison County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.