Colfax County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Schuyler
No data center or power plant project is on record in Colfax County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Colfax County is home to Schuyler, Clarkson and Howells. Electrical contractors employ 9, at an average $48,809 a year. Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Colfax County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.36¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. Employers here counted 4,989 jobs in 2025, down 1.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Colfax County
Colfax County is home to Schuyler, Clarkson and Howells.
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 Colfax County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,559 | 10,934 | ▲ 3.6% | 22nd of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,053 | 4,989 | ▼ 1.3% | 57th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,537 | $53,118 | ▲ 16.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.5% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
10,934 people live here, up 3.6% since 2020.
Who powers Colfax County
Utilities with service territory in Colfax County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 362,918 | 12.36¢ | 48% |
| Loup River Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 16,292 | 10.59¢ | 20% |
| Cornhusker Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 7,385 | 10.84¢ | 20% |
| Burt County Public Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cuming County Public Pwr Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Schuyler - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stanton County Public 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.
No operating power plant is located in Colfax County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Colfax County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,989 | $53,118 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 9 | $48,809 | 0.25 |
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 Colfax County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Colfax County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Butler County.
Colfax County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Colfax County, Dodge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colfax County | 10,934 | ▼ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Butler County | 8,507 | ▲ 2.8% | 11 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cuming County | 8,823 | ▲ 3.9% | 10 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Dodge County | 38,057 | ▲ 5.8% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
| Platte County | 35,649 | ▲ 3.7% | 138 MW | — | — | — |
| Saunders County | 23,702 | ▲ 9.8% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Stanton County | 5,744 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Colfax County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Colfax County, Nebraska?
7 utilities have service territory in Colfax County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Loup River Public Power Dist, Cornhusker Public Power Dist, Burt County Public Power Dist. The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Colfax County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Colfax County.
Is Colfax County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,989 jobs in 2025 against 5,053 in 2019 (-1.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Colfax County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Colfax County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.