Polk County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bolivar
Polk County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 405, up 47.3% since 2019. Polk County is home to Bolivar, Humansville and Pleasant Hope. Next door, Greene County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 9,202 jobs in 2025, up 7.5% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Polk County
Polk County is home to Bolivar, Humansville and Pleasant Hope.
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 Polk County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,615 | 33,604 | ▲ 6.3% | 35th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,557 | 9,202 | ▲ 7.5% | 28th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,216 | $48,058 | ▲ 32.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 275 | 405 | ▲ 47.3% | 12th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 62, at an average $71,216 a year. Empire District Electric Co is the largest utility serving Polk 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. 33,604 people live here, up 6.3% since 2020.
Who powers Polk County
Utilities with service territory in Polk 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% |
| Southwest Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,386 | 11.99¢ | 16% |
| Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,534 | 14.07¢ | 19% |
| Sac-Osage 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 Polk County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Polk County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,202 | $48,058 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 405 | $51,989 | 0.83 |
| Electrical contractors | 62 | $71,216 | 0.93 |
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 Polk County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Polk County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Polk County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Polk County, Greene 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 33,604 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Cedar County | 14,888 | ▲ 12.9% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Dade County | 7,804 | ▼ 0.2% | — | 247 MW | — | — |
| Dallas County | 18,025 | ▲ 15.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 309,286 | ▲ 5.5% | 926 MW | 178 MW | 2 | — |
| Hickory County | 9,044 | ▲ 20.7% | — | — | — | — |
| St. Clair County | 9,976 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Polk County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Polk County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Polk County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Empire District Electric Co, Southwest Electric Coop, Inc, Ozark Electric Coop Inc - (MO), Sac-Osage Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Empire District Electric Co, charged residential customers 14.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bolivar, MO in?
Bolivar is in Polk County, Missouri. About 11,994 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Polk County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Polk County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Greene County.
Is Polk County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,202 jobs in 2025 against 8,557 in 2019 (+7.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 275 to 405.
Does Polk County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Polk County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.