Dent County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Salem
No data center or power plant project is on record in Dent County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Dent County is home to Salem. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 3,674 jobs in 2025, down 5.7% from 2019. Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO) is the largest utility serving Dent County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.01¢/kWh in 2024. 14,584 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Dent County
Dent County is home to Salem.
- Bunker also extends into Reynolds County.
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 Dent County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,392 | 14,584 | ▲ 1.3% | 71st of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,897 | 3,674 | ▼ 5.7% | 102nd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,892 | $44,539 | ▲ 39.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
Who powers Dent County
Utilities with service territory in Dent County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,956 | 13.01¢ | 13% |
| Black River Electric Coop - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,575 | 12.81¢ | 31% |
| Crawford Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,775 | 12.78¢ | 16% |
| City of Salem - (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 Dent County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dent County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,674 | $44,539 | 1.00 |
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 Dent County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dent County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Dent County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dent County, Reynolds 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dent County | 14,584 | ▼ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 22,929 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 9,318 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Phelps County | 45,247 | ▲ 7.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Reynolds County | 5,992 | ▼ 12.8% | 408 MW | — | — | — |
| Shannon County | 7,285 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Texas County | 25,994 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Dent County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dent County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Dent County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO), Black River Electric Coop - (MO), Crawford Electric Coop, Inc, City of Salem - (MO). The largest, Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO), charged residential customers 13.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Dent County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dent County.
Is Dent County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,674 jobs in 2025 against 3,897 in 2019 (-5.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Dent County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dent County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.