Stone County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wiggins
Stone 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. Stone County is home to Wiggins. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. Construction employs 226, up 27.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,061 jobs in 2025, up 11.6% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 82 Mississippi counties). Mississippi Power Co is the largest utility serving Stone 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.
Cities and towns in Stone County
Stone County is home to Wiggins.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bond.
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 Stone County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,333 | 19,654 | ▲ 7.2% | 47th of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,533 | 5,061 | ▲ 11.6% | 7th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,261 | $43,892 | ▲ 24.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 177 | 226 | ▲ 27.7% | 17th of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 3.2% | ▼ 2.7pts | — |
19,654 people live here, up 7.2% since 2020.
Who powers Stone County
Utilities with service territory in Stone 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% |
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 Stone County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Stone County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,061 | $43,892 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 226 | $55,740 | 0.84 |
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 Stone County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stone County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Stone County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Stone County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone County | 19,654 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Forrest County | 79,034 | ▼ 3.9% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| George County | 26,331 | ▲ 8.8% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 46,873 | ▲ 6.5% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 217,136 | ▲ 4.0% | 923 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 147,666 | ▲ 3.8% | 2,400 MW | — | — | — |
| Pearl River County | 59,363 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 11,577 | ▲ 0.3% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Stone County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stone County, Mississippi?
3 utilities have service territory in Stone County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Mississippi Power Co, Singing River Elec Cooperative, Pearl River Valley El Pwr Assn. The largest, Mississippi Power Co, charged residential customers 14.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Stone County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stone County.
Is Stone County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,061 jobs in 2025 against 4,533 in 2019 (+11.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 177 to 226.
Does Stone County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stone County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.