Winston County, Mississippi: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Louisville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Winston County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Winston County is home to Louisville. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019. Next door, Oktibbeha County has 1 data center. Construction employs 170, down 1.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,124 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Winston County
Winston County is home to Louisville.
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 Winston County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,689 | 17,473 | ▼ 1.2% | 51st of 82 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,019 | 5,124 | ▲ 2.1% | 32nd of 82 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,025 | $50,762 | ▲ 30.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 173 | 170 | ▼ 1.7% | 35th of 45 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 3.2% | ▼ 2.9pts | — |
East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn is the largest utility serving Winston County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.26¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.78¢ median for Mississippi utilities. 17,473 people live here, down 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Winston County
Utilities with service territory in Winston County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,885 | 14.26¢ | 42% |
| Louisville Electric System | Municipal | Bundled | 2,444 | 10.89¢ | 39% |
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 Winston County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Winston County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,124 | $50,762 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 170 | $49,641 | 0.63 |
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 Winston County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Winston County. Mississippi has 1 local measure on record statewide.
Winston County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Winston County, Choctaw 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston County | 17,473 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Attala County | 17,100 | ▲ 1.0% | 551 MW | — | — | — |
| Choctaw County | 8,048 | ▼ 0.1% | 2,263 MW | — | — | — |
| Kemper County | 8,600 | ▼ 12.2% | 1,212 MW | — | — | — |
| Leake County | 21,662 | ▲ 5.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Neshoba County | 28,732 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Noxubee County | 9,798 | ▼ 11.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Oktibbeha County | 51,896 | ▲ 0.1% | 26 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Mississippi
Winston County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Winston County, Mississippi?
2 utilities have service territory in Winston County in the EIA-861 2024 report: East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn, Louisville Electric System. The largest, East Mississippi Elec Pwr Assn, charged residential customers 14.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Winston County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Winston County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Oktibbeha County.
Is Winston County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,124 jobs in 2025 against 5,019 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 173 to 170.
Does Winston County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Winston County. Mississippi has 1 local measure statewide, listed on the state page.