Dade County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Greenfield
No data center or power plant project is on record in Dade County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Dade County is home to Greenfield and Lockwood. 247 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Buffalo Branch Wind and Solar LLC (wind), the 8th largest pipeline among Missouri's counties. Next door, Greene County has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Evergy Missouri West is the largest utility serving Dade County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Dade County
Dade County is home to Greenfield and Lockwood.
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 Dade County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,585 | 7,804 | ▲ 2.9% | 99th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,699 | 1,695 | ▼ 0.2% | 77th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,654 | $41,237 | ▲ 34.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 84 | 55 | ▼ 34.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 247 MW | no fleet today | 8th of 14 by size |
Employers here counted 1,695 jobs in 2025, down 0.2% from 2019. 7,804 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Dade County
Utilities with service territory in Dade County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergy Missouri West | Investor Owned | Bundled | 305,583 | 12.55¢ | 42% |
| Empire District Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 142,537 | 14.99¢ | 37% |
| Southwest Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,386 | 11.99¢ | 16% |
| Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,534 | 14.07¢ | 19% |
| Barton County Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Lockwood Water & Light Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sac-Osage Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Dade County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Branch Wind and Solar LLC | Onshore Wind Turbine | 247 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Buffalo Branch Wind and Solar LLC |
The Dade County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,695 | $41,237 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 55 | $53,341 | 0.61 |
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 Dade County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dade County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Dade County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dade County, Greene 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dade County | 7,804 | ▼ 0.2% | — | 247 MW | — | — |
| Barton County | 11,795 | ▲ 8.3% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Cedar County | 14,888 | ▲ 12.9% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 309,286 | ▲ 5.5% | 926 MW | 178 MW | 2 | — |
| Jasper County | 127,428 | ▼ 2.5% | 1,114 MW | 109 MW | 1 | — |
| Lawrence County | 39,401 | ▲ 1.1% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 33,604 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Dade County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dade County, Missouri?
7 utilities have service territory in Dade County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Missouri West, Empire District Electric Co, Southwest Electric Coop, Inc, Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO). The largest, Evergy Missouri West, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Dade County?
247 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Buffalo Branch Wind and Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Dade County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dade County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Greene County.
Is Dade County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,695 jobs in 2025 against 1,699 in 2019 (-0.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 84 to 55.
Does Dade County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dade County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.