Jackson County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pascagoula, Gautier and Ocean Springs
Jackson County hosts some of the generating capacity Mississippi runs on. Jackson County is home to Pascagoula, Gautier, Ocean Springs and Moss Point. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 5.6% in 2019. Owners plan to retire 1,097 MW more by 2035, led by Victor J Daniel Jr in 2027. Construction employs 2,283, down 26.2% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 247, up 33.5% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $78,332 a year.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Pascagoula, Gautier, Ocean Springs and Moss Point.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Big Point, Escatawpa, Gulf Hills, Gulf Park Estates, Helena, Hurley, Latimer, St. Martin, Vancleave, Wade.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 143,373 | 147,666 | ▲ 3.0% | 5th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 48,281 | 50,095 | ▲ 3.8% | 26th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,108 | $61,859 | ▲ 21.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,093 | 2,283 | ▼ 26.2% | 41st of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 185 | 247 | ▲ 33.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.6% | 3.0% | ▼ 2.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2,400 MW of capacity, 54% of it natural gas, the largest fleet in Mississippi. Next door, Mobile County, Alabama, has 1 data center. Employers here counted 50,095 jobs in 2025, up 3.8% from 2019. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Jackson 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. 147,666 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020, 5th of 82 Mississippi counties by population.
Who powers Jackson County
Utilities with service territory in Jackson 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% |
| Singing River Elec Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,343 | 13.46¢ | 24% |
| Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 52,077 | 14.25¢ | 18% |
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 | 1,303 MW | 54% |
| Coal | 1,097 MW | 46% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor J Daniel Jr | Mississippi Power Co | Natural gas | 2,229 MW | 1977 |
| Chevron Oil | Mississippi Power Co | Natural gas | 170 MW | 1967 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor J Daniel Jr | Coal | 1,097 MW | 2027 |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 50,095 | $61,859 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,283 | $65,376 | 0.86 |
| Electrical contractors | 247 | $78,332 | 0.68 |
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 Jackson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jackson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Jackson County, Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 147,666 | ▲ 3.8% | 2,400 MW | — | — | — |
| George County | 26,331 | ▲ 8.8% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 217,136 | ▲ 4.0% | 923 MW | — | — | — |
| Mobile County AL | 411,658 | ▲ 1.9% | 4,003 MW | 8 MW | 1 | — |
| Stone County | 19,654 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Singing River Elec Cooperative, Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Pascagoula, MS in?
Pascagoula is in Jackson County, Mississippi. About 21,409 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Gautier, MS in?
Gautier is in Jackson County, Mississippi. About 19,069 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ocean Springs, MS in?
Ocean Springs is in Jackson County, Mississippi. About 18,993 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jackson County?
2 operating plants with 2,400 MW of capacity. The largest is Victor J Daniel Jr (2,229 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jackson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mobile County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 50,095 jobs in 2025 against 48,281 in 2019 (+3.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,093 to 2,283.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.