Butler County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to David City
Butler County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Electrical contractors employ 56, up 80.6% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $62,460 a year. Butler County is home to David City, Alexis Township, Savannah Township and Oak Creek Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers for a stated term”. Unemployment was 2.1% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 11 MW of capacity, 55% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Butler County
Butler County is home to David City, Alexis Township, Savannah Township and Oak Creek Township.
And 4 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 Butler County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,355 | 8,507 | ▲ 1.8% | 32nd of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,571 | 2,644 | ▲ 2.8% | 27th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,989 | $56,122 | ▲ 36.9% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 31 | 56 | ▲ 80.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.1% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 2,644 jobs in 2025, up 2.8% from 2019. Butler Public Power District - (NE) is the largest utility serving Butler County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.10¢/kWh in 2024. 8,507 people live here, up 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Butler County
Utilities with service territory in Butler County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Public Power District - (NE) | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,774 | 11.10¢ | 18% |
| Village of Brainard - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of David City | — | — | — | — | — |
| Polk County Rural Pub Pwr 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 55% |
| Natural gas | 5 MW | 45% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David City | City of David City -(NE) | Petroleum | 11 MW | 1949 |
The Butler County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,644 | $56,122 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 56 | $62,460 | 2.94 |
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 Butler County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers for a stated term | In force | 2026-06 |
Butler County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Butler County, Lancaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County | 8,507 | ▲ 2.8% | 11 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Colfax County | 10,934 | ▼ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Dodge County | 38,057 | ▲ 5.8% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
| Lancaster County | 334,049 | ▲ 2.3% | 811 MW | 852 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Platte County | 35,649 | ▲ 3.7% | 138 MW | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 5,270 | ▼ 3.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Saunders County | 23,702 | ▲ 9.8% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Seward County | 18,032 | ▼ 1.3% | 3 MW | — | — | 1 |
| York County | 14,564 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Butler County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Butler County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Butler County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Butler Public Power District - (NE), Village of Brainard - (NE), City of David City, Polk County Rural Pub Pwr Dist. The largest, Butler Public Power District - (NE), charged residential customers 11.10¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Butler County?
1 operating plant with 11 MW of capacity. The largest is David City (11 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Butler County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Butler County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lancaster County.
Is Butler County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,644 jobs in 2025 against 2,571 in 2019 (+2.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Butler County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Butler County, 1 in force.