Arthur County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Arthur County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Arthur County is home to Arthur. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 80 jobs in 2025, down 10.1% from 2019. Panhandle Rural El Member Assn is the largest utility serving Arthur County, one of 2 with territory here. 396 people live here, down 7.9% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Arthur County
Arthur County is home to Arthur.
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 Arthur County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 430 | 396 | ▼ 7.9% | 92nd of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 89 | 80 | ▼ 10.1% | 87th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $26,953 | $36,526 | ▲ 35.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 3.5% | ▼ 1.8pts | — |
Who powers Arthur County
Utilities with service territory in Arthur County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panhandle Rural El Member Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheat Belt Public Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Arthur County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Arthur County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 80 | $36,526 | 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 Arthur County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Arthur County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide.
Arthur County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Arthur County, Keith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur County | 396 | ▼ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 561 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hooker County | 686 | ▼ 24.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Keith County | 8,100 | ▼ 1.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| McPherson County | 369 | ▼ 20.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Arthur County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Arthur County, Nebraska?
2 utilities have service territory in Arthur County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Panhandle Rural El Member Assn, Wheat Belt Public Power Dist.
Are there data centers in Arthur County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Arthur County.
Is Arthur County adding jobs?
Employers counted 80 jobs in 2025 against 89 in 2019 (-10.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Arthur County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Arthur County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.