Hayes County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Hayes County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Hayes County is home to Hayes Center. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers”. Employers here counted 190 jobs in 2025, down 9.1% from 2019. Midwest Electric Member Corp - (NE) is the largest utility serving Hayes County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.04¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hayes County
Hayes County is home to Hayes Center.
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 Hayes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 848 | 821 | ▼ 3.2% | 82nd of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 209 | 190 | ▼ 9.1% | 85th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,159 | $41,184 | ▲ 28.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.2% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
821 people live here, down 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Hayes County
Utilities with service territory in Hayes County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest Electric Member Corp - (NE) | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,389 | 12.04¢ | 16% |
| Southwest Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 2,186 | 10.16¢ | 23% |
| McCook Public Power District | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Hayes County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hayes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 190 | $41,184 | 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 Hayes County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers | In force | — |
Hayes County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hayes County, Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes County | 821 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chase County | 3,718 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Dundy County | 1,568 | ▲ 15.0% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Frontier County | 2,655 | ▼ 12.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Hitchcock County | 2,467 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 33,303 | ▲ 6.3% | 1,410 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Perkins County | 2,849 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Hayes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hayes County, Nebraska?
3 utilities have service territory in Hayes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Midwest Electric Member Corp - (NE), Southwest Public Power Dist, McCook Public Power District. The largest, Midwest Electric Member Corp - (NE), charged residential customers 12.04¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hayes County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hayes County.
Is Hayes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 190 jobs in 2025 against 209 in 2019 (-9.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hayes County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hayes County, 1 in force.