Hooker County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hooker County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hooker County is home to Mullen. Employers here counted 262 jobs in 2025, down 24.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Custer Public Power District is the largest utility serving Hooker County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.71¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 686 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Hooker County
Hooker County is home to Mullen.
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 Hooker County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 706 | 686 | ▼ 2.8% | 86th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 346 | 262 | ▼ 24.3% | 93rd of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $26,232 | $36,466 | ▲ 39.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
Who powers Hooker County
Utilities with service territory in Hooker 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% |
| Village of Mullen - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 Hooker County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hooker County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 262 | $36,466 | 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 Hooker County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hooker County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Cherry County.
Hooker County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hooker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooker County | 686 | ▼ 24.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Arthur County | 396 | ▼ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherry County | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Grant County | 561 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| McPherson County | 369 | ▼ 20.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Thomas County | 639 | ▼ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Hooker County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hooker County, Nebraska?
3 utilities have service territory in Hooker County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Custer Public Power District, Village of Mullen - (NE), 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 Hooker County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hooker County.
Is Hooker County adding jobs?
Employers counted 262 jobs in 2025 against 346 in 2019 (-24.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hooker County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hooker County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.