Howard County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to St. Paul
No data center or power plant project is on record in Howard County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Howard County is home to St. Paul. Next door, Buffalo County has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 2.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Howard County
Howard County is home to St. Paul.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): St. Libory.
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 Howard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,487 | 6,538 | ▲ 0.8% | 45th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,561 | 1,584 | ▲ 1.5% | 42nd of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,635 | $44,227 | ▲ 24.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 2.1% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Howard County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 1,584 jobs in 2025, up 1.5% from 2019. 6,538 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Howard County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Howard 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% |
| Howard Greeley Rural P P D | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of St Paul - (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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Paul-Howard Greeley | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Howard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,584 | $44,227 | 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 Howard County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Howard County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Hall County, Nance County.
Howard County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Howard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 6,538 | ▲ 1.5% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County | 51,172 | ▲ 3.6% | 7 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Greeley County | 2,154 | ▲ 2.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Hall County | 63,633 | ▲ 3.4% | 264 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Merrick County | 7,905 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Nance County | 3,290 | ▼ 8.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Sherman County | 2,924 | ▼ 12.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Howard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Howard County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Howard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Southern Public Power District, Howard Greeley Rural P P D, City of St Paul - (NE). The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Howard County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is St. Paul-Howard Greeley (1 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Howard County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Howard County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Buffalo County.
Is Howard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,584 jobs in 2025 against 1,561 in 2019 (+1.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Howard County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Howard County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.