Lauderdale County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Meridian and Marion
The data center boom is not abstract in Lauderdale County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lauderdale County, 7% of Mississippi's total. Lauderdale County is home to Meridian and Marion. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Construction employs 1,184, up 21.1% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 224, up 21.1% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $67,832 a year.
Cities and towns in Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County is home to Meridian and Marion.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Collinsville, Lauderdale, Meridian Station, Nellieburg, Toomsuba.
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 Lauderdale County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 72,678 | 70,317 | ▼ 3.2% | 9th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32,802 | 30,730 | ▼ 6.3% | 62nd of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,347 | $50,007 | ▲ 30.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 978 | 1,184 | ▲ 21.1% | 21st of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 185 | 224 | ▲ 21.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 3.3% | ▼ 2.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 58 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
58 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 30,730 jobs in 2025, down 6.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 108 MW of capacity, 53% of it solar. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Lauderdale 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. 70,317 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020, 9th of 82 Mississippi counties by population.
Who powers Lauderdale County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +58 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lauderdale 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% |
| East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,885 | 14.26¢ | 42% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 58 MW | 53% |
| Natural gas | 42 MW | 39% |
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 8% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian III | SR Meridian III, LLC | Solar | 52 MW | 2019 |
| Sweatt | Mississippi Power Co | Natural gas | 42 MW | 1971 |
| Meridian | Tennessee Valley Authority | Petroleum | 9 MW | 1998 |
| Meridian II | SR Meridian II, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2019 |
The Lauderdale County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 30,730 | $50,007 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,184 | $58,770 | 0.73 |
| Electrical contractors | 224 | $67,832 | 1.01 |
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 Lauderdale County
1 data center in Lauderdale County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Lauderdale County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lauderdale County, Kemper 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County | 70,317 | ▼ 6.3% | 108 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Choctaw County AL | 11,904 | ▼ 7.9% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 15,102 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Jasper County | 15,785 | ▼ 4.3% | — | 150 MW | — | — |
| Kemper County | 8,600 | ▼ 12.2% | 1,212 MW | — | — | — |
| Neshoba County | 28,732 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Newton County | 20,960 | ▼ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Sumter County AL | 11,588 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Lauderdale County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lauderdale County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Lauderdale County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Meridian, MS in?
Meridian is in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. About 33,370 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lauderdale County?
4 operating plants with 108 MW of capacity. The largest is Meridian III (52 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lauderdale County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lauderdale County.
Is Lauderdale County adding jobs?
Employers counted 30,730 jobs in 2025 against 32,802 in 2019 (-6.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 978 to 1,184.
Does Lauderdale County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lauderdale County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.