Vernon County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Center Township, Nevada and Washington Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Vernon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 229, up 60.1% since 2019. Vernon County is home to Center Township, Nevada, Washington Township and Drywood Township. Employers here counted 7,011 jobs in 2025, up 3.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 22 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Vernon County
Vernon County is home to Center Township, Nevada, Washington Township and Drywood Township.
And 3 smaller places.
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 Vernon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,659 | 19,946 | ▲ 1.5% | 56th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,787 | 7,011 | ▲ 3.3% | 51st of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,171 | $47,899 | ▲ 28.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 143 | 229 | ▲ 60.1% | 6th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Evergy Missouri West is the largest utility serving Vernon County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024. 19,946 people live here, up 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Vernon County
Utilities with service territory in Vernon 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% |
| Osage Valley Elec Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,945 | 14.00¢ | 12% |
| Barton County Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 22 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | Evergy Missouri West | Petroleum | 22 MW | 1974 |
The Vernon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,011 | $47,899 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 229 | $59,311 | 0.62 |
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 Vernon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Vernon County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bourbon County.
Vernon County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Vernon County, Linn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County | 19,946 | ▲ 3.3% | 22 MW | — | — | — |
| Barton County | 11,795 | ▲ 8.3% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Bates County | 16,512 | ▲ 4.0% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Bourbon County KS | 14,319 | ▼ 8.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cedar County | 14,888 | ▲ 12.9% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Crawford County KS | 39,008 | ▼ 0.2% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Linn County KS | 9,950 | ▲ 7.6% | 1,599 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Clair County | 9,976 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Vernon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Vernon County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Vernon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Missouri West, Osage Valley Elec Coop Assn, Barton County Elec Coop, Inc, Sac-Osage Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Evergy Missouri West, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Vernon County?
1 operating plant with 22 MW of capacity. The largest is Nevada (22 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Vernon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Vernon County.
Is Vernon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,011 jobs in 2025 against 6,787 in 2019 (+3.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 143 to 229.
Does Vernon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Vernon County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.