Neshoba County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Philadelphia
Neshoba 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 1,585, up 85.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Neshoba County is home to Philadelphia and part of Union (551 of its 2,007 residents). Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Next door, Lauderdale County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 12,735 jobs in 2025, up 5.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Neshoba County
Neshoba County is home to Philadelphia and part of Union (551 of its 2,007 residents).
- Union also extends into Newton County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bogue Chitto, Pearl River, Tucker.
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 Neshoba County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,982 | 28,732 | ▼ 0.9% | 27th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,074 | 12,735 | ▲ 5.5% | 23rd of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,050 | $51,460 | ▲ 35.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 853 | 1,585 | ▲ 85.8% | 5th of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 2.7% | ▼ 2.7pts | — |
Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Neshoba County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.47¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 28,732 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Neshoba County
Utilities with service territory in Neshoba 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% |
| City of Philadelphia - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,667 | 11.74¢ | 60% |
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 Neshoba County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Neshoba County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,735 | $51,460 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,585 | $97,755 | 2.35 |
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 Neshoba County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Neshoba County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Neshoba County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Neshoba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neshoba County | 28,732 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Attala County | 17,100 | ▲ 1.0% | 551 MW | — | — | — |
| Kemper County | 8,600 | ▼ 12.2% | 1,212 MW | — | — | — |
| Lauderdale County | 70,317 | ▼ 6.3% | 108 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Leake County | 21,662 | ▲ 5.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Newton County | 20,960 | ▼ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Winston County | 17,473 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Neshoba County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Neshoba County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Neshoba County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn, City of Philadelphia - (MS). The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Neshoba County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Neshoba County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lauderdale County.
Is Neshoba County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,735 jobs in 2025 against 12,074 in 2019 (+5.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 853 to 1,585.
Does Neshoba County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Neshoba County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.