Pontotoc County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pontotoc and Ecru
Pontotoc 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. Electrical contractors employ 48, up 77.8% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $63,920 a year. Pontotoc County is home to Pontotoc, Ecru, Algoma and Thaxton. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 11,386 jobs in 2025, down 10.3% from 2019. Tombigbee Electric Power Assn is the largest utility serving Pontotoc County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.23¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities.
Cities and towns in Pontotoc County
Pontotoc County is home to Pontotoc, Ecru, Algoma and Thaxton.
- Sherman also extends into Union County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Randolph.
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 Pontotoc County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,195 | 32,096 | ▲ 2.9% | 25th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,696 | 11,386 | ▼ 10.3% | 70th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,817 | $43,208 | ▲ 24.1% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27 | 48 | ▲ 77.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 3.2% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
32,096 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Pontotoc County
Utilities with service territory in Pontotoc County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tombigbee Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,296 | 12.23¢ | 29% |
| North East Mississippi EPA | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,142 | 13.39¢ | 39% |
| Pontotoc Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,377 | 13.02¢ | 32% |
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 Pontotoc County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Pontotoc County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,386 | $43,208 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 48 | $63,920 | 0.58 |
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 Pontotoc County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pontotoc County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Pontotoc County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Pontotoc County, Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontotoc County | 32,096 | ▼ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 12,643 | ▼ 9.4% | — | 160 MW | — | — |
| Chickasaw County | 16,730 | ▼ 17.5% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Lafayette County | 59,597 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 83,731 | ▼ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 28,459 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Pontotoc County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Pontotoc County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Tombigbee Electric Power Assn, North East Mississippi EPA, Pontotoc Electric Power Assn. The largest, Tombigbee Electric Power Assn, charged residential customers 12.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Pontotoc County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pontotoc County.
Is Pontotoc County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,386 jobs in 2025 against 12,696 in 2019 (-10.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pontotoc County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pontotoc County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.