Douglas County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ava
No data center or power plant project is on record in Douglas County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 122, up 87.7% since 2019. Douglas County is home to Ava. Next door, Webster County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,461 jobs in 2025, up 3.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Douglas County
Douglas County is home to Ava.
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 Douglas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,604 | 12,342 | ▲ 6.4% | 75th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,376 | 2,461 | ▲ 3.6% | 47th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,661 | $39,831 | ▲ 39.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 65 | 122 | ▲ 87.7% | 3rd of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
White River Valley El Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Douglas County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.30¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. 12,342 people live here, up 6.4% since 2020.
Who powers Douglas County
Utilities with service territory in Douglas County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White River Valley El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,216 | 14.30¢ | 31% |
| Howell-Oregon Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,101 | 12.54¢ | 14% |
| Webster Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,820 | 10.19¢ | 26% |
| City of Ava - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| SE-MA-NO 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 Douglas County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Douglas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,461 | $39,831 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 122 | $45,315 | 0.94 |
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 Douglas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Douglas County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Webster County.
Douglas County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Douglas County, Webster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 12,342 | ▲ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Christian County | 96,725 | ▲ 17.1% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Howell County | 40,798 | ▼ 0.5% | 55 MW | — | — | — |
| Ozark County | 9,172 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Taney County | 57,001 | ▼ 2.1% | 216 MW | — | — | — |
| Texas County | 25,994 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 43,054 | ▲ 12.7% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Wright County | 19,671 | ▲ 15.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Douglas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Douglas County, Missouri?
5 utilities have service territory in Douglas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: White River Valley El Coop Inc, Howell-Oregon Elec Coop, Inc, Webster Electric Coop, City of Ava - (MO). The largest, White River Valley El Coop Inc, charged residential customers 14.30¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Douglas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Douglas County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Webster County.
Is Douglas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,461 jobs in 2025 against 2,376 in 2019 (+3.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 65 to 122.
Does Douglas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Douglas County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.