McDonald County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Noel, Anderson and Goodman
McDonald County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in McDonald County. McDonald County is home to Noel, Anderson, Goodman and Southwest City. Employers here counted 5,739 jobs in 2025, down 17.6% from 2019. Construction employs 376, up 13.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in McDonald County
McDonald County is home to Noel, Anderson, Goodman and Southwest City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rocky Comfort.
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 McDonald County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,281 | 23,992 | ▲ 3.1% | 46th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,964 | 5,739 | ▼ 17.6% | 112th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,619 | $46,101 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 331 | 376 | ▲ 13.6% | 40th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
Empire District Electric Co is the largest utility serving McDonald County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. 23,992 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers McDonald County
Utilities with service territory in McDonald 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% |
| New-Mac Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,445 | 12.63¢ | 13% |
| Carroll Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,109 | 12.70¢ | 17% |
| Barry 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.
No operating power plant is located in McDonald County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The McDonald County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,739 | $46,101 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 376 | $49,812 | 1.24 |
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 McDonald County
1 data center in McDonald County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
McDonald County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border McDonald 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald County | 23,992 | ▼ 17.6% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Barry County | 36,200 | ▼ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Benton County AR | 332,554 | ▲ 23.0% | 561 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Delaware County OK | 41,910 | ▲ 7.6% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Newton County | 62,263 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Ottawa County OK | 30,438 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
McDonald County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McDonald County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in McDonald County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Empire District Electric Co, New-Mac Electric Coop, Inc, Carroll Electric Coop Corp - (AR), Barry Electric Coop. The largest, Empire District Electric Co, charged residential customers 14.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in McDonald County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in McDonald County.
Is McDonald County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,739 jobs in 2025 against 6,964 in 2019 (-17.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 331 to 376.
Does McDonald County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McDonald County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.