Hall County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grand Island and Wood River
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Hall County. Hall County is home to Grand Island, Wood River, Cairo and Doniphan. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed county moratorium on data centers”. Construction employs 2,106, up 20.5% since 2019. 10 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hall County
Hall County is home to Grand Island, Wood River, Cairo and Doniphan.
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 Hall County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 62,767 | 63,633 | ▲ 1.4% | 4th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34,721 | 35,892 | ▲ 3.4% | 25th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,501 | $55,864 | ▲ 34.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,748 | 2,106 | ▲ 20.5% | 14th of 35 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 319 | 290 | ▼ 9.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 10 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 264 MW of capacity, 54% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 35,892 jobs in 2025, up 3.4% from 2019. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Hall County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. Electrical contractors employ 290, down 9.1% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $62,391 a year. 63,633 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020, 4th of 93 Nebraska counties by population.
Who powers Hall County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +10 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hall 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% |
| City of Grand Island - (NE) | Municipal | Bundled | 22,799 | 10.93¢ | 29% |
| Southern Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 15,215 | 9.21¢ | 27% |
| City of Wood River- (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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 143 MW | 54% |
| Coal | 110 MW | 42% |
| Solar | 11 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C W Burdick | City of Grand Island - (NE) | Natural gas | 143 MW | 1968 |
| Platte | City of Grand Island - (NE) | Coal | 110 MW | 1982 |
| Museum Drive East Solar | City of Grand Island - (NE) | Solar | 10 MW | 2024 |
| GIUD Solar I | Onsite Partners, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2018 |
The Hall County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 35,892 | $55,864 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,106 | $61,058 | 1.11 |
| Electrical contractors | 290 | $62,391 | 1.12 |
| Power and communication line construction | 41 | $66,014 | 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 Hall County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed county moratorium on data centers | Proposed | — |
Hall County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hall County, Buffalo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hall County | 63,633 | ▲ 3.4% | 264 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Adams County | 31,071 | ▲ 1.7% | 388 MW | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County | 51,172 | ▲ 3.6% | 7 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Hamilton County | 9,678 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Howard County | 6,538 | ▲ 1.5% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Merrick County | 7,905 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Hall County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hall County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Hall County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, City of Grand Island - (NE), Southern Public Power District, City of Wood River- (NE). The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Grand Island, NE in?
Grand Island is in Hall County, Nebraska. About 53,943 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hall County?
4 operating plants with 264 MW of capacity. The largest is C W Burdick (143 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hall County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hall County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Buffalo County.
Is Hall County adding jobs?
Employers counted 35,892 jobs in 2025 against 34,721 in 2019 (+3.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,748 to 2,106.
Does Hall County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hall County, 0 in force.