Simpson County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Magee and Mendenhall
Simpson 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 585, up 194.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Simpson County is home to Magee and Mendenhall. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. Next door, Hinds County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 7,110 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Simpson County
Simpson County is home to Magee and Mendenhall.
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 Simpson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,887 | 25,498 | ▼ 1.5% | 35th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,312 | 7,110 | ▼ 2.8% | 51st of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,234 | $38,735 | ▲ 37.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 199 | 585 | ▲ 194.0% | 1st of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 2.9% | ▼ 2.3pts | — |
Entergy Mississippi LLC is the largest utility serving Simpson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.21¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 25,498 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Simpson County
Utilities with service territory in Simpson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entergy Mississippi LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,611 | 13.21¢ | 39% |
| Southern Pine Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 65,176 | 14.01¢ | 17% |
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 Simpson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Simpson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,110 | $38,735 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 585 | $63,629 | 1.55 |
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 Simpson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Simpson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Simpson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Simpson County, Hinds 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County | 25,498 | ▼ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Copiah County | 27,497 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Covington County | 17,898 | ▲ 0.9% | — | 96 MW | — | — |
| Hinds County | 211,888 | ▼ 8.6% | 605 MW | 150 MW | 3 | — |
| Jefferson Davis County | 10,941 | ▲ 37.6% | 250 MW | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 11,819 | ▲ 13.5% | 82 MW | — | — | — |
| Rankin County | 162,181 | ▲ 6.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 13,991 | ▼ 1.3% | 148 MW | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Simpson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Simpson County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Simpson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Entergy Mississippi LLC, Southern Pine Electric Cooperative. The largest, Entergy Mississippi LLC, charged residential customers 13.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Simpson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Simpson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hinds County.
Is Simpson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,110 jobs in 2025 against 7,312 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 199 to 585.
Does Simpson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Simpson County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.