Scotland County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Memphis
Scotland 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. Scotland County is home to Memphis. Next door, Adair County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,296 jobs in 2025, up 11.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 9 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Scotland County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Scotland County
Scotland County is home to Memphis.
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 Scotland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,698 | 4,796 | ▲ 2.1% | 109th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,158 | 1,296 | ▲ 11.9% | 15th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,364 | $46,141 | ▲ 42.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 4,796 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Scotland County
Utilities with service territory in Scotland 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% |
| Lewis County Rural E C A | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Memphis - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop Assn (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | City of Memphis - (MO) | Petroleum | 9 MW | 1945 |
The Scotland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,296 | $46,141 | 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 Scotland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Scotland County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Scotland County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Scotland County, Adair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland County | 4,796 | ▲ 11.9% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Adair County | 25,684 | ▼ 6.2% | 250 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Clark County | 6,475 | ▼ 4.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Davis County IA | 9,230 | ▼ 3.0% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 3,728 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 4,140 | ▲ 58.1% | 400 MW | — | — | — |
| Van Buren County IA | 7,131 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Scotland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Scotland County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Scotland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Lewis County Rural E C A, City of Memphis - (MO), Tri-County Electric Coop Assn (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Scotland County?
1 operating plant with 9 MW of capacity. The largest is Memphis (9 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Scotland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Scotland County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Adair County.
Is Scotland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,296 jobs in 2025 against 1,158 in 2019 (+11.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Scotland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Scotland County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.