Grant County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Grant 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. Grant County is home to Hyannis. Unemployment was 2.4% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 293 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019. 561 people live here, down 8.3% since 2020. Custer Public Power District is the largest utility serving Grant County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.71¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities.
Cities and towns in Grant County
Grant County is home to Hyannis.
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 Grant County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 612 | 561 | ▼ 8.3% | 90th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 287 | 293 | ▲ 2.1% | 37th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,460 | $41,003 | ▲ 34.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11 | 11 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.4% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Who powers Grant County
Utilities with service territory in Grant County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,707 | 12.71¢ | 22% |
| Panhandle Rural El Member Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Grant County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Grant County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 293 | $41,003 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11 | $37,243 | 0.71 |
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 Grant County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Grant County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Cherry County.
Grant County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Grant County, Cherry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 561 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Arthur County | 396 | ▼ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherry County | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Hooker County | 686 | ▼ 24.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 4,809 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Grant County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grant County, Nebraska?
2 utilities have service territory in Grant County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Custer Public Power District, Panhandle Rural El Member Assn. The largest, Custer Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Grant County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grant County.
Is Grant County adding jobs?
Employers counted 293 jobs in 2025 against 287 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 11 to 11.
Does Grant County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Grant County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.