Perry County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Runnelstown
No data center or power plant project is on record in Perry County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 6.9% in 2019. Perry County is home to Richton, Beaumont and New Augusta. Its power plants have 50 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Perry County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.47¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. Employers here counted 2,220 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Perry County
Perry County is home to Richton, Beaumont and New Augusta.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Runnelstown.
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 Perry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,456 | 11,577 | ▲ 1.1% | 64th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,213 | 2,220 | ▲ 0.3% | 36th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,623 | $49,624 | ▲ 16.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.9% | 3.7% | ▼ 3.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
11,577 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Perry County
Utilities with service territory in Perry 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% |
| Singing River Elec Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,343 | 13.46¢ | 24% |
| Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 52,077 | 14.25¢ | 18% |
| Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS) | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,803 | 13.44¢ | 24% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 50 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf River Cellulose LLC | Leaf River Cellulose LLC | Other technologies | 50 MW | 1984 |
The Perry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,220 | $49,624 | 1.00 |
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 Perry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Perry County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Perry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Perry County, Jones 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 11,577 | ▲ 0.3% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Forrest County | 79,034 | ▼ 3.9% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| George County | 26,331 | ▲ 8.8% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 13,707 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 66,496 | ▲ 2.9% | 510 MW | — | — | — |
| Stone County | 19,654 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 19,807 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Perry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Perry County, Mississippi?
4 utilities have service territory in Perry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Singing River Elec Cooperative, Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn, Dixie Electric Power Assn - (MS). The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Perry County?
1 operating plant with 50 MW of capacity. The largest is Leaf River Cellulose LLC (50 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Perry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Perry County.
Is Perry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,220 jobs in 2025 against 2,213 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Perry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Perry County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.