Franklin County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Franklin County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Franklin County is home to Franklin. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 784 jobs in 2025, up 6.7% from 2019. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 10 MW of capacity, 53% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Franklin.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,885 | 2,795 | ▼ 3.1% | 69th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 735 | 784 | ▲ 6.7% | 16th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,252 | $43,146 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.0% | ▼ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Southern Public Power District is the largest utility serving Franklin County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.21¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 2,795 people live here, down 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Franklin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Franklin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 15,215 | 9.21¢ | 27% |
| Village of Campbell - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Franklin - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Hildreth - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 6 MW | 53% |
| Natural gas | 4 MW | 37% |
| Petroleum | 1 MW | 10% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPPW1, LLC | SPPW1, LLC | Wind | 6 MW | 2022 |
| Franklin (NE) | City of Franklin - (NE) | Natural gas | 4 MW | 1955 |
| Campbell Village | Village of Campbell - (NE) | Petroleum | 1 MW | 1983 |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 784 | $43,146 | 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 Franklin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Franklin County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Harlan County, Kearney County.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Franklin County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 2,795 | ▲ 6.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 31,071 | ▲ 1.7% | 388 MW | — | — | — |
| Harlan County | 3,000 | ▲ 1.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kearney County | 6,790 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Phelps County | 8,994 | ▲ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Phillips County KS | 4,728 | ▼ 6.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County KS | 3,566 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 3,336 | ▲ 1.7% | 347 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southern Public Power District, Village of Campbell - (NE), City of Franklin - (NE), Village of Hildreth - (NE). The largest, Southern Public Power District, charged residential customers 9.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
3 operating plants with 10 MW of capacity. The largest is SPPW1, LLC (6 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 784 jobs in 2025 against 735 in 2019 (+6.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.