Pulaski County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to St. Robert, Waynesville and Richland
No data center or power plant project is on record in Pulaski County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Pulaski County is home to St. Robert, Waynesville, most of Richland (1,558 of its 1,737 residents) and Dixon. Next door, Maries County has 400 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Construction employs 352, up 8.0% since 2019. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Pulaski County
Pulaski County is home to St. Robert, Waynesville, most of Richland (1,558 of its 1,737 residents) and Dixon.
- Richland also extends into Camden County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Leonard Wood.
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 Pulaski County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 54,005 | 54,442 | ▲ 0.8% | 22nd of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,094 | 13,141 | ▲ 0.4% | 70th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,239 | $48,911 | ▲ 24.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 326 | 352 | ▲ 8.0% | 51st of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 82 | 38 | ▼ 53.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Pulaski County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 13,141 jobs in 2025, up 0.4% from 2019. 54,442 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 38, down 53.7% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $41,534 a year.
Who powers Pulaski County
Utilities with service territory in Pulaski County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,095,619 | 12.56¢ | 44% |
| Laclede Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,026 | 11.73¢ | 18% |
| Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,956 | 13.01¢ | 13% |
| Gascosage Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,253 | 12.30¢ | 13% |
| City of Richland - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of St Robert - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Waynesville - (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 | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waynesville Solar Farm (MO) | Missouri Jnt Muni.Pwr Elec. Ut. Comm. | Solar | 3 MW | 2016 |
The Pulaski County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,141 | $48,911 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 352 | $51,742 | 0.51 |
| Electrical contractors | 38 | $41,534 | 0.40 |
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 Pulaski County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pulaski County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Pulaski County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pulaski County, Maries 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 54,442 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Camden County | 44,047 | ▲ 8.2% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Laclede County | 36,943 | ▼ 6.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Maries County | 8,397 | ▲ 13.7% | — | 400 MW | — | — |
| Miller County | 25,817 | ▲ 7.3% | 208 MW | — | — | — |
| Phelps County | 45,247 | ▲ 7.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Texas County | 25,994 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Pulaski County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pulaski County, Missouri?
7 utilities have service territory in Pulaski County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Laclede Electric Coop, Inc, Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO), Gascosage Electric Coop. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pulaski County?
1 operating plant with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Waynesville Solar Farm (MO) (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Pulaski County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pulaski County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Maries County.
Is Pulaski County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,141 jobs in 2025 against 13,094 in 2019 (+0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 326 to 352.
Does Pulaski County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pulaski County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.