Marion County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Columbia
Marion 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. Construction employs 1,365, up 43.7% since 2019, and construction is 3.1 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019. Marion County is home to Columbia. Next door, Washington Parish, Louisiana, has 200 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 8,361 jobs in 2025, up 6.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Marion County
Marion County is home to Columbia.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Foxworth, Kokomo.
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 Marion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,370 | 24,001 | ▼ 1.5% | 38th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,845 | 8,361 | ▲ 6.6% | 17th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,748 | $48,554 | ▲ 28.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 950 | 1,365 | ▲ 43.7% | 12th of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 3.4% | ▼ 3.1pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 20, at an average $49,556 a year. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Marion 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. 24,001 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Marion County
Utilities with service territory in Marion 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% |
| Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 52,077 | 14.25¢ | 18% |
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 Marion County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Marion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,361 | $48,554 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,365 | $82,497 | 3.08 |
| Electrical contractors | 20 | $49,556 | 0.33 |
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 Marion County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marion County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Marion County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Marion County, Washington Parish 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 24,001 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson Davis County | 10,941 | ▲ 37.6% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Lamar County | 67,403 | ▲ 7.7% | 662 MW | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 11,819 | ▲ 13.5% | 82 MW | — | — | — |
| Pearl River County | 59,363 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Walthall County | 13,928 | ▼ 0.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington Parish LA | 44,937 | ▲ 5.2% | 599 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Marion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marion County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Marion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Marion County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marion County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washington Parish.
Is Marion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,361 jobs in 2025 against 7,845 in 2019 (+6.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 950 to 1,365.
Does Marion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marion County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.