Hamilton County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aurora
Hamilton 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. Hamilton County is home to Aurora. Employers here counted 3,974 jobs in 2025, up 11.7% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 93 Nebraska counties). Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 44, at an average $64,488 a year. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Hamilton County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Hamilton County
Hamilton County is home to Aurora.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Overland.
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 Hamilton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,406 | 9,678 | ▲ 2.9% | 28th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,559 | 3,974 | ▲ 11.7% | 7th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,426 | $58,155 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 1.9% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
9,678 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Hamilton County
Utilities with service territory in Hamilton 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% |
| Southern Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 15,215 | 9.21¢ | 27% |
| Perennial Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,142 | 9.74¢ | 4% |
| South Central Public Pwr Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 3,777 | 9.54¢ | 62% |
| City of Giltner - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Hampton - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Polk County Rural Pub 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 Hamilton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hamilton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,974 | $58,155 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 44 | $64,488 | 1.54 |
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 Hamilton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hamilton County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Fillmore County, Hall County.
Hamilton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hamilton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 9,678 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 31,071 | ▲ 1.7% | 388 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 6,170 | ▼ 13.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Fillmore County | 5,458 | ▲ 8.8% | 7 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Hall County | 63,633 | ▲ 3.4% | 264 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Merrick County | 7,905 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 5,270 | ▼ 3.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| York County | 14,564 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Hamilton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hamilton County, Nebraska?
7 utilities have service territory in Hamilton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Southern Public Power District, Perennial Public Power Dist, South Central Public Pwr Dist. The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hamilton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hamilton County.
Is Hamilton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,974 jobs in 2025 against 3,559 in 2019 (+11.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hamilton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hamilton County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.