Jones County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Laurel and Ellisville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jones County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jones County is home to Laurel, Ellisville and Sandersville. Unemployment was 2.4% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 510 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 136, at an average $52,151 a year. Employers here counted 28,680 jobs in 2025, up 2.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Jones County
Jones County is home to Laurel, Ellisville and Sandersville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Eastabuchie, Moselle, Ovett, Sharon.
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 Jones County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 67,167 | 66,496 | ▼ 1.0% | 11th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27,881 | 28,680 | ▲ 2.9% | 29th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,628 | $54,231 | ▲ 33.5% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 165 | 203 | ▲ 23.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 2.4% | ▼ 2.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Jones County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.47¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 66,496 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Jones County
Utilities with service territory in Jones 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 510 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moselle | Cooperative Energy | Natural gas | 510 MW | 1970 |
The Jones County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 28,680 | $54,231 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 136 | $52,151 | 0.66 |
| Electric utilities | 203 | $101,978 | 2.61 |
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 Jones County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jones County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Jones County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jones 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County | 66,496 | ▲ 2.9% | 510 MW | — | — | — |
| Covington County | 17,898 | ▲ 0.9% | — | 96 MW | — | — |
| Forrest County | 79,034 | ▼ 3.9% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Jasper County | 15,785 | ▼ 4.3% | — | 150 MW | — | — |
| Perry County | 11,577 | ▲ 0.3% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 13,991 | ▼ 1.3% | 148 MW | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 19,807 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Jones County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jones County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Jones County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS). The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Laurel, MS in?
Laurel is in Jones County, Mississippi. About 17,662 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jones County?
1 operating plant with 510 MW of capacity. The largest is Moselle (510 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Jones County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jones County.
Is Jones County adding jobs?
Employers counted 28,680 jobs in 2025 against 27,881 in 2019 (+2.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jones County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jones County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.