Johnson County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Warrensburg, Knob Noster and Holden
No data center or power plant project is on record in Johnson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Johnson County is home to Warrensburg, Knob Noster, Holden and Leeton. Next door, Jackson County has 16 data centers. Construction employs 596, down 7.9% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Its power plants have 321 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Johnson County
Johnson County is home to Warrensburg, Knob Noster, Holden and Leeton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): La Tour, Whiteman AFB.
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 Johnson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 54,023 | 56,670 | ▲ 4.9% | 21st of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,666 | 16,381 | ▲ 4.6% | 40th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,312 | $48,515 | ▲ 30.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 647 | 596 | ▼ 7.9% | 61st of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 120 | 123 | ▲ 2.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 16,381 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 123, up 2.5% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $71,190 a year. Evergy Missouri West is the largest utility serving Johnson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024. 56,670 people live here, up 4.9% since 2020.
Who powers Johnson County
Utilities with service territory in Johnson 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% |
| Evergy Metro | Investor Owned | Bundled | 273,860 | 13.72¢ | 51% |
| Osage Valley Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,945 | 14.00¢ | 12% |
| West Central Electric Coop Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,280 | 12.28¢ | 22% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 321 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holden | Associated Electric Coop, Inc | Natural gas | 321 MW | 2002 |
The Johnson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,381 | $48,515 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 596 | $61,166 | 0.69 |
| Electrical contractors | 123 | $71,190 | 1.04 |
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 Johnson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Johnson County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Jackson County.
Johnson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Johnson County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 56,670 | ▲ 4.6% | 321 MW | — | — | — |
| Cass County | 115,859 | ▲ 16.3% | 1,095 MW | — | — | — |
| Henry County | 22,671 | ▲ 14.4% | — | 400 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 732,994 | ● 0.0% | 2,018 MW | — | 16 | 2 |
| Lafayette County | 33,531 | ▲ 1.8% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Pettis County | 44,254 | ▲ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Johnson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Johnson County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Johnson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Missouri West, Evergy Metro, Osage Valley Elec Coop Assn, West Central Electric Coop Inc - (MO). The largest, Evergy Missouri West, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Warrensburg, MO in?
Warrensburg is in Johnson County, Missouri. About 20,283 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Johnson County?
1 operating plant with 321 MW of capacity. The largest is Holden (321 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Johnson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Johnson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jackson County.
Is Johnson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,381 jobs in 2025 against 15,666 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 647 to 596.
Does Johnson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Johnson County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.