Ozark County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pontiac and Sundown
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ozark County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ozark County is home to Gainesville. Employers here counted 1,519 jobs in 2025, up 3.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. White River Valley El Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Ozark County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.30¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.79¢ median for Missouri utilities. 9,172 people live here, up 7.7% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Ozark County
Ozark County is home to Gainesville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pontiac, Sundown, Wasola.
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 Ozark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,518 | 9,172 | ▲ 7.7% | 90th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,463 | 1,519 | ▲ 3.8% | 46th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $26,392 | $34,868 | ▲ 32.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 41 | 42 | ▲ 2.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 5.3% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
Who powers Ozark County
Utilities with service territory in Ozark County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White River Valley El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,216 | 14.30¢ | 31% |
| Howell-Oregon Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,101 | 12.54¢ | 14% |
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 Ozark County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ozark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,519 | $34,868 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 42 | $32,489 | 0.52 |
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 Ozark County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ozark County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Ozark County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Ozark County, Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark County | 9,172 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Baxter County AR | 42,982 | ▲ 11.0% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 12,342 | ▲ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Fulton County AR | 12,492 | ▼ 13.7% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Howell County | 40,798 | ▼ 0.5% | 55 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County AR | 17,593 | ▼ 21.2% | 340 MW | — | — | — |
| Taney County | 57,001 | ▼ 2.1% | 216 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Ozark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ozark County, Missouri?
2 utilities have service territory in Ozark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: White River Valley El Coop Inc, Howell-Oregon Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, White River Valley El Coop Inc, charged residential customers 14.30¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Ozark County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ozark County.
Is Ozark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,519 jobs in 2025 against 1,463 in 2019 (+3.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 41 to 42.
Does Ozark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ozark County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.