Jefferson County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fayette
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jefferson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 9.1% in August 2026, against 12.6% in 2019. Jefferson County is home to Fayette. Employers here counted 975 jobs in 2025, down 2.4% from 2019. Entergy Mississippi LLC is the largest utility serving Jefferson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.21¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 6,825 people live here, down 5.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Fayette.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,248 | 6,825 | ▼ 5.8% | 79th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 999 | 975 | ▼ 2.4% | 49th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,080 | $47,083 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 12.6% | 9.1% | ▼ 3.5pts | — |
Who powers Jefferson County
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson 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% |
| Southwest Mississippi E P A | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,153 | 15.03¢ | 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.
No operating power plant is located in Jefferson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 975 | $47,083 | 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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jefferson County, Claiborne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 6,825 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 30,061 | ▼ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Claiborne County | 8,058 | ▼ 6.8% | 1,440 MW | — | — | — |
| Copiah County | 27,497 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 7,491 | ▼ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 35,012 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Tensas Parish LA | 3,700 | ▼ 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Mississippi LLC, Southwest Mississippi E P A. The largest, Entergy Mississippi LLC, charged residential customers 13.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 975 jobs in 2025 against 999 in 2019 (-2.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.