Mercer County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Morgan Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Mercer County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 804 jobs in 2025, down 53.1% from 2019. Mercer County is home to Morgan Township, Princeton and Marion Township. Evergy Missouri West is the largest utility serving Mercer County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. 3,404 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Mercer County
Mercer County is home to Morgan Township, Princeton and Marion Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ravanna.
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 Mercer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,516 | 3,404 | ▼ 3.2% | 114th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,713 | 804 | ▼ 53.1% | 115th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,629 | $46,712 | ▲ 24.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Who powers Mercer County
Utilities with service territory in Mercer 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% |
| Grundy 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 Mercer County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Mercer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 804 | $46,712 | 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 Mercer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mercer County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Mercer County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Mercer County, Putnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 3,404 | ▼ 53.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Decatur County IA | 7,655 | ▼ 5.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Grundy County | 9,744 | ▼ 7.2% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 8,281 | ▲ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 4,546 | ▲ 7.4% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Sullivan County | 5,738 | ▼ 2.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County IA | 6,738 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Mercer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mercer County, Missouri?
2 utilities have service territory in Mercer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Missouri West, Grundy Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Evergy Missouri West, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Mercer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mercer County.
Is Mercer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 804 jobs in 2025 against 1,713 in 2019 (-53.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Mercer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mercer County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.