Lee County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tupelo, Saltillo and Verona
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lee County is home to Tupelo, Saltillo, Verona and Guntown. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Construction employs 1,486, up 10.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 52,044 jobs in 2025, down 4.9% from 2019. Tombigbee Electric Power Assn is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.23¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Tupelo, Saltillo, Verona and Guntown.
- Baldwyn also extends into Prentiss County.
- Nettleton also extends into Monroe County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mooreville.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 83,326 | 83,731 | ▲ 0.5% | 7th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 54,702 | 52,044 | ▼ 4.9% | 58th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,974 | $53,348 | ▲ 30.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,345 | 1,486 | ▲ 10.5% | 25th of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 195 | 184 | ▼ 5.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 2.9% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 184, down 5.6% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $57,014 a year. 83,731 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020, 7th of 82 Mississippi counties by population.
Who powers Lee County
Utilities with service territory in Lee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tombigbee Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,296 | 12.23¢ | 29% |
| Prentiss County Elec Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,999 | 10.86¢ | 33% |
| City of Tupelo - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 10,620 | 11.01¢ | 54% |
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 Lee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 52,044 | $53,348 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,486 | $60,376 | 0.54 |
| Electrical contractors | 184 | $57,014 | 0.49 |
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 Lee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lee County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lee County, Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 83,731 | ▼ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Chickasaw County | 16,730 | ▼ 17.5% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Itawamba County | 24,152 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 33,318 | ▼ 6.7% | — | 160 MW | — | — |
| Pontotoc County | 32,096 | ▼ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Prentiss County | 25,284 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 28,459 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Tombigbee Electric Power Assn, Prentiss County Elec Pwr Assn, City of Tupelo - (MS). The largest, Tombigbee Electric Power Assn, charged residential customers 12.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Tupelo, MS in?
Tupelo is in Lee County, Mississippi. About 38,087 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 52,044 jobs in 2025 against 54,702 in 2019 (-4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,345 to 1,486.
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.