Crawford County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cuba, Bourbon and Sullivan
No data center or power plant project is on record in Crawford County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Crawford County is home to Cuba, Bourbon, part of Sullivan (1,513 of its 6,942 residents) and Steelville. Construction employs 224, up 8.2% since 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Crawford County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 6,823 jobs in 2025, up 0.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Crawford County
Crawford County is home to Cuba, Bourbon, part of Sullivan (1,513 of its 6,942 residents) and Steelville.
- Sullivan also extends into Franklin County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Indian Lake.
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 Crawford County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,030 | 22,929 | ▼ 0.4% | 50th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,770 | 6,823 | ▲ 0.8% | 66th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,942 | $50,169 | ▲ 35.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 207 | 224 | ▲ 8.2% | 50th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
22,929 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Crawford County
Utilities with service territory in Crawford County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,095,619 | 12.56¢ | 44% |
| Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,956 | 13.01¢ | 13% |
| Crawford Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,775 | 12.78¢ | 16% |
| City of Cuba - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Steelville | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Sullivan - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Crawford County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Crawford County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,823 | $50,169 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 224 | $53,522 | 0.62 |
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 Crawford County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Crawford County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Crawford County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Crawford County, Franklin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford County | 22,929 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Dent County | 14,584 | ▼ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 108,090 | ▲ 0.6% | 2,389 MW | — | — | — |
| Gasconade County | 14,784 | ▼ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 9,318 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Phelps County | 45,247 | ▲ 7.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 23,810 | ▲ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Crawford County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crawford County, Missouri?
6 utilities have service territory in Crawford County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO), Crawford Electric Coop, Inc, City of Cuba - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Crawford County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Crawford County.
Is Crawford County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,823 jobs in 2025 against 6,770 in 2019 (+0.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 207 to 224.
Does Crawford County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crawford County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.