Hickory County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Hickory County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Hickory County is home to Hermitage. Employers here counted 1,546 jobs in 2025, up 20.7% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 115 Missouri counties). 9,044 people live here, up 8.9% since 2020. Empire District Electric Co is the largest utility serving Hickory County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hickory County
Hickory County is home to Hermitage.
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 Hickory County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,306 | 9,044 | ▲ 8.9% | 91st of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,281 | 1,546 | ▲ 20.7% | 3rd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $26,921 | $37,742 | ▲ 40.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 5.7% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
Who powers Hickory County
Utilities with service territory in Hickory County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire District Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 142,537 | 14.99¢ | 37% |
| Southwest Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,386 | 11.99¢ | 16% |
| 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 Hickory County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hickory County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,546 | $37,742 | 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 Hickory County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hickory County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Hickory County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hickory County, Benton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory County | 9,044 | ▲ 20.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Benton County | 20,536 | ▲ 9.3% | 161 MW | — | — | — |
| Camden County | 44,047 | ▲ 8.2% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Dallas County | 18,025 | ▲ 15.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 33,604 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| St. Clair County | 9,976 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Hickory County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hickory County, Missouri?
3 utilities have service territory in Hickory County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Empire District Electric Co, Southwest Electric Coop, Inc, Sac-Osage Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Empire District Electric Co, charged residential customers 14.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hickory County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hickory County.
Is Hickory County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,546 jobs in 2025 against 1,281 in 2019 (+20.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hickory County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hickory County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.