Garden County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lisco
No data center or power plant project is on record in Garden County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Garden County is home to Oshkosh. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 487 jobs in 2025, down 2.6% from 2019. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Garden County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. 1,804 people live here, down 4.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Garden County
Garden County is home to Oshkosh.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lisco.
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 Garden County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,889 | 1,804 | ▼ 4.5% | 75th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 500 | 487 | ▼ 2.6% | 67th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,816 | $45,909 | ▲ 35.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
Who powers Garden County
Utilities with service territory in Garden 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% |
| 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 Garden County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Garden County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 487 | $45,909 | 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 Garden County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Garden County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide.
Garden County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Garden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Arthur County | 396 | ▼ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cheyenne County | 9,528 | ▼ 4.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Deuel County | 1,862 | ▲ 6.3% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 561 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Keith County | 8,100 | ▼ 1.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Morrill County | 4,404 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 4,809 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Garden County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Garden County, Nebraska?
3 utilities have service territory in Garden County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Panhandle Rural El Member Assn, Wheat Belt Public Power Dist. The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Garden County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Garden County.
Is Garden County adding jobs?
Employers counted 487 jobs in 2025 against 500 in 2019 (-2.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Garden County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Garden County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.