Oktibbeha County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Starkville
The data center boom is not abstract in Oktibbeha County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Oktibbeha County, 7% of Mississippi's total. Oktibbeha County is home to Starkville. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019. Construction employs 482, up 24.5% since 2019. Its power plants have 26 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Oktibbeha County
Oktibbeha County is home to Starkville.
- Maben also extends into Webster County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Longview, Mississippi State.
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 Oktibbeha County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 51,697 | 51,896 | ▲ 0.4% | 15th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,589 | 20,613 | ▲ 0.1% | 37th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,157 | $49,033 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 387 | 482 | ▲ 24.5% | 20th of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 73 | 56 | ▼ 23.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 3.4% | ▼ 2.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
4-County Electric Power Assn is the largest utility serving Oktibbeha County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.88¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 20,613 jobs in 2025, up 0.1% from 2019. 51,896 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 56, down 23.3% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $53,732 a year.
Who powers Oktibbeha County
Utilities with service territory in Oktibbeha 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% |
| City of Starkville | Municipal | Bundled | 12,632 | 12.08¢ | 64% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 26 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State University | Natural gas | 26 MW | 2005 |
The Oktibbeha County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,613 | $49,033 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 482 | $49,609 | 0.44 |
| Electrical contractors | 56 | $53,732 | 0.38 |
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 Oktibbeha County
1 data center in Oktibbeha County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Oktibbeha County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Oktibbeha County, Lowndes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oktibbeha County | 51,896 | ▲ 0.1% | 26 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Choctaw County | 8,048 | ▼ 0.1% | 2,263 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 18,238 | ▲ 21.4% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Lowndes County | 57,346 | ▲ 2.7% | 1,380 MW | 504 MW | 1 | — |
| Noxubee County | 9,798 | ▼ 11.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 10,167 | ▲ 4.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Winston County | 17,473 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Oktibbeha County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Oktibbeha County in the EIA-861 2024 report: 4-County Electric Power Assn, City of Starkville. The largest, 4-County Electric Power Assn, charged residential customers 12.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Starkville, MS in?
Starkville is in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. About 25,754 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Oktibbeha County?
1 operating plant with 26 MW of capacity. The largest is Mississippi State University (26 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Oktibbeha County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Oktibbeha County.
Is Oktibbeha County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,613 jobs in 2025 against 20,589 in 2019 (+0.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 387 to 482.
Does Oktibbeha County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Oktibbeha County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.