Harrison County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bethany Township and Bethany
No data center or power plant project is on record in Harrison County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Harrison County is home to Bethany Township, Bethany and Colfax Township. Evergy Missouri West is the largest utility serving Harrison County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 2,526 jobs in 2025, up 1.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 8,281 people live here, up 1.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Harrison County
Harrison County is home to Bethany Township, Bethany and Colfax Township.
And 4 smaller places.
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 Harrison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,158 | 8,281 | ▲ 1.5% | 98th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,499 | 2,526 | ▲ 1.1% | 63rd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,209 | $42,705 | ▲ 36.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 39 | ▲ 50.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
Who powers Harrison County
Utilities with service territory in Harrison 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% |
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,451 | 13.35¢ | 14% |
| City of Bethany - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Gilman City - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grundy Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| United Electric Coop, Inc - (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 Harrison County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Harrison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,526 | $42,705 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 39 | $35,945 | 0.29 |
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 Harrison County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harrison County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Harrison County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Harrison County, Gentry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | 8,281 | ▲ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Daviess County | 8,558 | ▲ 16.3% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Decatur County IA | 7,655 | ▼ 5.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Gentry County | 6,384 | ▼ 4.9% | 61 MW | — | — | — |
| Grundy County | 9,744 | ▼ 7.2% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Mercer County | 3,404 | ▼ 53.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Ringgold County IA | 4,642 | ▲ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Worth County | 1,914 | ▲ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Harrison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harrison County, Missouri?
6 utilities have service territory in Harrison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Missouri West, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (MO), City of Bethany - (MO), City of Gilman City - (MO). The largest, Evergy Missouri West, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Harrison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harrison County.
Is Harrison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,526 jobs in 2025 against 2,499 in 2019 (+1.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 26 to 39.
Does Harrison County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harrison County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.