Brown County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ainsworth
No data center or power plant project is on record in Brown County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Brown County is home to Ainsworth. Electrical contractors employ 18, up 38.5% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $40,801 a year. Employers here counted 1,402 jobs in 2025, up 13.2% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 93 Nebraska counties). Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 59 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Brown County
Brown County is home to Ainsworth.
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 Brown County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,902 | 2,826 | ▼ 2.6% | 68th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,238 | 1,402 | ▲ 13.2% | 5th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,219 | $47,624 | ▲ 31.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 67 | 85 | ▲ 26.9% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13 | 18 | ▲ 38.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.0% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Brown County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. 2,826 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Brown County
Utilities with service territory in Brown County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 73,650 | 10.63¢ | 28% |
| Custer Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,707 | 12.71¢ | 22% |
| KBR Rural Public Power District | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 59 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ainsworth Wind | Nebraska Public Power District | Wind | 59 MW | 2005 |
The Brown County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,402 | $47,624 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 85 | $44,524 | 1.14 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $40,801 | 1.78 |
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 Brown County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Brown County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Cherry County.
Brown County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Brown County, Keya Paha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County | 2,826 | ▲ 13.2% | 59 MW | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 458 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherry County | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Keya Paha County | 792 | ▲ 2.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Loup County | 570 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Rock County | 1,259 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Brown County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Brown County, Nebraska?
3 utilities have service territory in Brown County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Custer Public Power District, KBR Rural Public Power District. The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Brown County?
1 operating plant with 59 MW of capacity. The largest is Ainsworth Wind (59 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Brown County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Brown County.
Is Brown County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,402 jobs in 2025 against 1,238 in 2019 (+13.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 67 to 85.
Does Brown County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Brown County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.