Howard County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fayette, Glasgow and New Franklin
Howard 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. Howard County is home to Fayette, most of Glasgow (1,053 of its 1,080 residents) and New Franklin. Next door, Boone County has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 11 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Howard County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Howard County
Howard County is home to Fayette, most of Glasgow (1,053 of its 1,080 residents) and New Franklin.
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 Howard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,154 | 10,180 | ▲ 0.3% | 84th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,504 | 2,492 | ▼ 0.5% | 79th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,363 | $44,562 | ▲ 42.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 2,492 jobs in 2025, down 0.5% from 2019. 10,180 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Howard County
Utilities with service territory in Howard County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,095,619 | 12.56¢ | 44% |
| Evergy Metro | Investor Owned | Bundled | 273,860 | 13.72¢ | 51% |
| Boone Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 33,806 | 13.40¢ | 17% |
| City of Fayette - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Howard 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 11 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette | City of Fayette - (MO) | Petroleum | 11 MW | 1969 |
The Howard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,492 | $44,562 | 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 Howard County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Howard County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Howard County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Howard County, Randolph 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 10,180 | ▼ 0.5% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 191,746 | ▲ 5.9% | 321 MW | 9 MW | 2 | — |
| Chariton County | 7,377 | ▼ 0.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Cooper County | 17,136 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 24,513 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,242 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Saline County | 23,265 | ▲ 1.6% | 34 MW | 122 MW | — | — |
More of Missouri
Howard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Howard County, Missouri?
5 utilities have service territory in Howard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Evergy Metro, Boone Electric Coop, City of Fayette - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Howard County?
1 operating plant with 11 MW of capacity. The largest is Fayette (11 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Howard County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Howard County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Boone County.
Is Howard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,492 jobs in 2025 against 2,504 in 2019 (-0.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Howard County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Howard County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.