Laclede County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lebanon
No data center or power plant project is on record in Laclede County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Laclede County is home to Lebanon and Conway. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 6.7% in 2019. Next door, Webster County has 1 data center. Electrical contractors employ 14, up 27.3% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $49,352 a year. Construction employs 308, up 12.0% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Laclede County
Laclede County is home to Lebanon and Conway.
- Richland also extends into Pulaski County, Camden County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bennett Springs.
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 Laclede County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 36,046 | 36,943 | ▲ 2.5% | 33rd of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,925 | 12,999 | ▼ 6.6% | 104th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,112 | $48,748 | ▲ 38.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 275 | 308 | ▲ 12.0% | 44th of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11 | 14 | ▲ 27.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.7% | 4.6% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 12,999 jobs in 2025, down 6.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Southwest Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Laclede County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.99¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. 36,943 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Laclede County
Utilities with service territory in Laclede County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,386 | 11.99¢ | 16% |
| Laclede Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,026 | 11.73¢ | 18% |
| Webster Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,820 | 10.19¢ | 26% |
| City of Lebanon - (MO) | Municipal | Bundled | 6,066 | 10.00¢ | 34% |
| City of Richland - (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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lebanon Solar Farm (MO) | Missouri Jnt Muni.Pwr Elec. Ut. Comm. | Solar | 2 MW | 2017 |
The Laclede County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,999 | $48,748 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 308 | $62,886 | 0.45 |
| Electrical contractors | 14 | $49,352 | 0.15 |
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 Laclede County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Laclede County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Webster County.
Laclede County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Laclede 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laclede County | 36,943 | ▼ 6.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Camden County | 44,047 | ▲ 8.2% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Dallas County | 18,025 | ▲ 15.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 54,442 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 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
Laclede County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Laclede County, Missouri?
5 utilities have service territory in Laclede County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwest Electric Coop, Inc, Laclede Electric Coop, Inc, Webster Electric Coop, City of Lebanon - (MO). The largest, Southwest Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 11.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Lebanon, MO in?
Lebanon is in Laclede County, Missouri. About 15,663 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Laclede County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Lebanon Solar Farm (MO) (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Laclede County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Laclede County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Webster County.
Is Laclede County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,999 jobs in 2025 against 13,925 in 2019 (-6.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 275 to 308.
Does Laclede County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Laclede County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.