Barry County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Monett, Cassville and Purdy
Barry 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 45, up 73.1% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $42,122 a year. Barry County is home to most of Monett (6,568 of its 10,248 residents), Cassville, Purdy and Seligman. Next door, Benton County, Arkansas, has 1 data center. Employers here counted 13,017 jobs in 2025, down 10.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Barry County
Barry County is home to most of Monett (6,568 of its 10,248 residents), Cassville, Purdy and Seligman.
- Monett also extends into Lawrence County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Eagle Rock, Golden, Shell Knob.
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 Barry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 34,549 | 36,200 | ▲ 4.8% | 34th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,532 | 13,017 | ▼ 10.4% | 108th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,811 | $48,377 | ▲ 21.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 337 | 359 | ▲ 6.5% | 54th of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 45 | ▲ 73.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
Construction employs 359, up 6.5% since 2019. Empire District Electric Co is the largest utility serving Barry County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. 36,200 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020.
Who powers Barry County
Utilities with service territory in Barry County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire District Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 142,537 | 14.99¢ | 37% |
| Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,534 | 14.07¢ | 19% |
| New-Mac Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,445 | 12.63¢ | 13% |
| Carroll Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,109 | 12.70¢ | 17% |
| City of Monett - (MO) | Municipal | Bundled | 4,118 | 13.65¢ | 25% |
| Barry Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Barry County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Barry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,017 | $48,377 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 359 | $48,938 | 0.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 45 | $42,122 | 0.48 |
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 Barry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Barry County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Benton County, Carroll County.
Barry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Barry County, Carroll 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 36,200 | ▼ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Benton County AR | 332,554 | ▲ 23.0% | 561 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Carroll County AR | 29,263 | ▼ 1.2% | 114 MW | 183 MW | — | 1 |
| Lawrence County | 39,401 | ▲ 1.1% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| McDonald County | 23,992 | ▼ 17.6% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Newton County | 62,263 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Stone County | 32,503 | ▲ 9.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Barry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Barry County, Missouri?
6 utilities have service territory in Barry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Empire District Electric Co, Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO), New-Mac Electric Coop, Inc, Carroll Electric Coop Corp - (AR). The largest, Empire District Electric Co, charged residential customers 14.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Barry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Barry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Benton County.
Is Barry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,017 jobs in 2025 against 14,532 in 2019 (-10.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 337 to 359.
Does Barry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Barry County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.