Morrill County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bridgeport and Bayard
No data center or power plant project is on record in Morrill County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Morrill County is home to Bridgeport and Bayard. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,495 jobs in 2025, down 1.8% from 2019. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Morrill County, one of 9 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. 4,404 people live here, down 3.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Morrill County
Morrill County is home to Bridgeport and Bayard.
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 Morrill County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,554 | 4,404 | ▼ 3.3% | 58th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,522 | 1,495 | ▼ 1.8% | 61st of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,829 | $50,319 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32 | 28 | ▼ 12.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Who powers Morrill County
Utilities with service territory in Morrill 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% |
| High West Energy, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,752 | 14.68¢ | 7% |
| City of Alliance- (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Bayard - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Bridgeport Utilities - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chimney Rock Public Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| Panhandle Rural El Member Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wheat Belt Public Power 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 Morrill County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Morrill County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,495 | $50,319 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 28 | $30,762 | 0.35 |
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 Morrill County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Morrill County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Box Butte County.
Morrill County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Morrill County, Scotts Bluff 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrill County | 4,404 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Banner County | 686 | ▲ 20.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Box Butte County | 10,494 | ▼ 0.7% | 9 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cheyenne County | 9,528 | ▼ 4.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Garden County | 1,804 | ▼ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Scotts Bluff County | 35,586 | ▼ 2.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 4,809 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Morrill County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morrill County, Nebraska?
9 utilities have service territory in Morrill County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, High West Energy, Inc, City of Alliance- (NE), City of Bayard - (NE). The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Morrill County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morrill County.
Is Morrill County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,495 jobs in 2025 against 1,522 in 2019 (-1.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 32 to 28.
Does Morrill County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Morrill County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.