Lowndes County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Columbus and Caledonia
The build-out shows up in Lowndes County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 420, up 244.3% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $71,145 a year. Construction employs 2,491, up 74.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lowndes County, 7% of Mississippi's total. Lowndes County is home to Columbus and Caledonia. 504 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by Tennessee Valley Authority (natural gas), the 4th largest pipeline among Mississippi's counties.
Cities and towns in Lowndes County
Lowndes County is home to Columbus and Caledonia.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Columbus AFB, New Hope.
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 Lowndes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 58,783 | 57,346 | ▼ 2.4% | 14th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,468 | 26,162 | ▲ 2.7% | 31st of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,230 | $59,265 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,425 | 2,491 | ▲ 74.8% | 6th of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 122 | 420 | ▲ 244.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 3.6% | ▼ 1.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 450 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 504 MW | 37% of today's fleet | 4th of 14 by size |
Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Next door, Oktibbeha County has 1 data center. 450 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1,380 MW of capacity, 58% of it natural gas, the 4th largest fleet in Mississippi. Employers here counted 26,162 jobs in 2025, up 2.7% from 2019. 4-County Electric Power Assn is the largest utility serving Lowndes County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.88¢/kWh in 2024. 57,346 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Lowndes County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +450 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lowndes County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-County Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,076 | 12.88¢ | 29% |
| Monroe County Elec Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,170 | 12.53¢ | 22% |
| City of Columbus - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,842 | 12.01¢ | 56% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 801 MW | 58% |
| Solar | 350 MW | 25% |
| Other technologies | 129 MW | 9% |
| Battery storage | 100 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caledonia | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 801 MW | 2003 |
| Golden Triangle | Origis Energy USA, Inc | Battery storage | 250 MW | 2025 |
| Golden Triangle II | Origis Energy USA, Inc | Battery storage | 200 MW | 2024 |
| GCF US Holdings LLC Columbus Mill | GCF - Columbus Mill | Other technologies | 129 MW | 1982 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
| New Caledonia | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 84 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Tennessee Valley Authority |
The Lowndes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 26,162 | $59,265 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,491 | $81,632 | 1.80 |
| Electrical contractors | 420 | $71,145 | 2.23 |
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 Lowndes County
1 data center in Lowndes County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Lowndes County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lowndes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes County | 57,346 | ▲ 2.7% | 1,380 MW | 504 MW | 1 | — |
| Clay County | 18,238 | ▲ 21.4% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Lamar County AL | 13,587 | ▼ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 33,318 | ▼ 6.7% | — | 160 MW | — | — |
| Noxubee County | 9,798 | ▼ 11.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Oktibbeha County | 51,896 | ▲ 0.1% | 26 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pickens County AL | 18,221 | ▼ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Lowndes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lowndes County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Lowndes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: 4-County Electric Power Assn, Monroe County Elec Power Assn, City of Columbus - (MS). The largest, 4-County Electric Power Assn, charged residential customers 12.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Columbus, MS in?
Columbus is in Lowndes County, Mississippi. About 22,792 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lowndes County?
4 operating plants with 1,380 MW of capacity. The largest is Caledonia (801 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Lowndes County?
504 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Tennessee Valley Authority.
Are there data centers in Lowndes County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lowndes County.
Is Lowndes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 26,162 jobs in 2025 against 25,468 in 2019 (+2.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,425 to 2,491.
Does Lowndes County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lowndes County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.