Lafayette County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oxford
Lafayette 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. Lafayette County is home to Oxford. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 25,968 jobs in 2025, up 6.6% from 2019. North East Mississippi EPA is the largest utility serving Lafayette County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.39¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 59,597 people live here, up 6.6% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Lafayette County
Lafayette County is home to Oxford.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Paris, Tula, University.
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 Lafayette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 55,912 | 59,597 | ▲ 6.6% | 12th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,370 | 25,968 | ▲ 6.6% | 18th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,841 | $52,758 | ▲ 35.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 2.6% | ▼ 2.3pts | — |
Who powers Lafayette County
Utilities with service territory in Lafayette County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East Mississippi EPA | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,142 | 13.39¢ | 39% |
| Tallahatchie Valley E P A | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,493 | 12.41¢ | 32% |
| City of Oxford - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,502 | 11.62¢ | 58% |
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 Lafayette County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lafayette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 25,968 | $52,758 | 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 Lafayette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lafayette County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Lafayette County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lafayette County, Panola 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County | 59,597 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 12,643 | ▼ 9.4% | — | 160 MW | — | — |
| Marshall County | 34,654 | ▲ 52.9% | 10 MW | 55 MW | — | — |
| Panola County | 32,691 | ▲ 5.6% | 904 MW | 20 MW | — | — |
| Pontotoc County | 32,096 | ▼ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Tate County | 28,725 | ▲ 19.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 28,459 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Yalobusha County | 12,375 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Lafayette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lafayette County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Lafayette County in the EIA-861 2024 report: North East Mississippi EPA, Tallahatchie Valley E P A, City of Oxford - (MS). The largest, North East Mississippi EPA, charged residential customers 13.39¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Oxford, MS in?
Oxford is in Lafayette County, Mississippi. About 26,773 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Lafayette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lafayette County.
Is Lafayette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 25,968 jobs in 2025 against 24,370 in 2019 (+6.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lafayette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lafayette County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.