Johnson County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tecumseh
Johnson County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Johnson County is home to Tecumseh. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers”. 4 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by City of Tecumseh - (NE) (other technologies), the 7th largest pipeline among Nebraska's counties. 4 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 66% of it petroleum. Employers here counted 1,469 jobs in 2025, down 2.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Johnson County
Johnson County is home to Tecumseh.
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 Johnson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,292 | 5,218 | ▼ 1.4% | 54th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,508 | 1,469 | ▼ 2.6% | 66th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,800 | $56,935 | ▲ 39.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 73 | 46 | ▼ 37.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.0% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 4 MW | 60% of today's fleet | 7th of 8 by size |
Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Johnson County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.36¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 5,218 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Johnson County
Utilities with service territory in Johnson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 362,918 | 12.36¢ | 48% |
| Nebraska Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 73,650 | 10.63¢ | 28% |
| Auburn Board of Public Works | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Elk Creek - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Tecumseh | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 66% |
| Natural gas | 2 MW | 34% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tecumseh | City of Tecumseh - (NE) | Petroleum | 7 MW | 1948 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tecumseh | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | City of Tecumseh - (NE) |
| Tecumseh | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | City of Tecumseh - (NE) |
The Johnson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,469 | $56,935 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 46 | $38,251 | 0.59 |
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 Johnson County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers | In force | — |
Johnson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Johnson County, Lancaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 5,218 | ▼ 2.6% | 7 MW | 4 MW | — | 1 |
| Gage County | 21,711 | ▼ 2.2% | 247 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lancaster County | 334,049 | ▲ 2.3% | 811 MW | 852 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Nemaha County | 7,102 | ▼ 3.7% | 820 MW | — | — | — |
| Otoe County | 16,531 | ▲ 0.2% | 1,433 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Pawnee County | 2,510 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Johnson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Johnson County, Nebraska?
5 utilities have service territory in Johnson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska Public Power District, Auburn Board of Public Works, Village of Elk Creek - (NE). The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Johnson County?
1 operating plant with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Tecumseh (7 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Johnson County?
4 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 4 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is City of Tecumseh - (NE).
Are there data centers in Johnson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Johnson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lancaster County.
Is Johnson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,469 jobs in 2025 against 1,508 in 2019 (-2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 73 to 46.
Does Johnson County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Johnson County, 1 in force.