Holmes County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Durant, Tchula and Lexington
Holmes County 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. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 9.8% in 2019. Holmes County is home to Durant, Tchula, Lexington and Goodman. Next door, Madison County has 7 data centers and 819 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 2,959 jobs in 2025, down 12.1% from 2019. 15,465 people live here, down 8.4% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Holmes County
Holmes County is home to Durant, Tchula, Lexington and Goodman.
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 Holmes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,886 | 15,465 | ▼ 8.4% | 55th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,366 | 2,959 | ▼ 12.1% | 75th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,905 | $44,669 | ▲ 31.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 9.8% | 5.7% | ▼ 4.1pts | — |
Entergy Mississippi LLC is the largest utility serving Holmes County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.21¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Who powers Holmes County
Utilities with service territory in Holmes 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% |
| Delta Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,460 | 13.75¢ | 8% |
| Yazoo Valley Elec Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,488 | 16.33¢ | 7% |
| City of Durant - (MS) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Holmes County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Holmes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,959 | $44,669 | 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 Holmes County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Holmes County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Holmes County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Holmes County, Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes County | 15,465 | ▼ 12.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Attala County | 17,100 | ▲ 1.0% | 551 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 9,226 | ▼ 10.9% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Humphreys County | 7,001 | ▼ 12.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Leflore County | 25,686 | ▼ 17.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 116,298 | ▲ 7.1% | 100 MW | 819 MW | 7 | — |
| Yazoo County | 22,947 | ▼ 1.3% | 25 MW | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Holmes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Holmes County, Mississippi?
4 utilities have service territory in Holmes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Mississippi LLC, Delta Electric Power Assn, Yazoo Valley Elec Power Assn, City of Durant - (MS). The largest, Entergy Mississippi LLC, charged residential customers 13.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Holmes County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Holmes County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Madison County.
Is Holmes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,959 jobs in 2025 against 3,366 in 2019 (-12.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Holmes County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Holmes County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.