Tippah County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ripley
No data center or power plant project is on record in Tippah County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 328, up 55.5% since 2019. Tippah County is home to Ripley, Blue Mountain and Walnut. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 7,209 jobs in 2025, up 10.0% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 82 Mississippi counties). Electrical contractors employ 35, up 16.7% since 2019 against up 33.2% statewide, at an average $73,485 a year.
Cities and towns in Tippah County
Tippah County is home to Ripley, Blue Mountain and Walnut.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chalybeate.
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 Tippah County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,744 | 21,389 | ▼ 1.6% | 42nd of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,551 | 7,209 | ▲ 10.0% | 9th of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,539 | $45,660 | ▲ 32.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 211 | 328 | ▲ 55.5% | 10th of 45 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 35 | ▲ 16.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 2.7% | ▼ 2.7pts | — |
Tippah Electric Power Assn is the largest utility serving Tippah County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.16¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 21,389 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Tippah County
Utilities with service territory in Tippah County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tippah Electric Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,521 | 13.16¢ | 30% |
| City of New Albany - (MS) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,157 | 12.39¢ | 34% |
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 Tippah County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Tippah County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,209 | $45,660 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 328 | $56,490 | 0.86 |
| Electrical contractors | 35 | $73,485 | 0.67 |
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 Tippah County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Tippah County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Tippah County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Tippah County, Benton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tippah County | 21,389 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Alcorn County | 34,569 | ▼ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Benton County | 7,502 | ▲ 10.4% | 1,004 MW | — | — | — |
| Hardeman County TN | 25,274 | ▼ 7.2% | 18 MW | 55 MW | — | — |
| Prentiss County | 25,284 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 28,459 | ▲ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Mississippi
Tippah County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Tippah County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Tippah County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Tippah Electric Power Assn, City of New Albany - (MS). The largest, Tippah Electric Power Assn, charged residential customers 13.16¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Tippah County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Tippah County.
Is Tippah County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,209 jobs in 2025 against 6,551 in 2019 (+10.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 211 to 328.
Does Tippah County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Tippah County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.