Otoe County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nebraska City and Syracuse
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Otoe County. Otoe County is home to Nebraska City, Syracuse and Palmyra. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “One-year data center moratorium”. Construction employs 289, down 11.6% since 2019. Its power plants have 1,433 MW of capacity, 97% of it coal, the largest fleet in Nebraska. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Otoe County
Otoe County is home to Nebraska City, Syracuse and Palmyra.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Woodland Hills.
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 Otoe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,904 | 16,531 | ▲ 3.9% | 19th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,268 | 6,278 | ▲ 0.2% | 49th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,352 | $54,921 | ▲ 36.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 327 | 289 | ▼ 11.6% | 35th of 35 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 2.5% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Otoe 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. Employers here counted 6,278 jobs in 2025, up 0.2% from 2019. 16,531 people live here, up 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Otoe County
Utilities with service territory in Otoe 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% |
| City of Nebraska City | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Syracuse - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Talmage - (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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,390 MW | 97% |
| Natural gas | 38 MW | 3% |
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska City | Omaha Public Power District | Coal | 1,390 MW | 1979 |
| Nebraska City # 1 | City of Nebraska City - (NE) | Natural gas | 26 MW | 1953 |
| Nebraska City # 2 | City of Nebraska City - (NE) | Natural gas | 14 MW | 1998 |
| Syracuse # 2 | City of Nebraska City - (NE) | Natural gas | 4 MW | 1969 |
The Otoe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,278 | $54,921 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 289 | $60,100 | 0.87 |
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 Otoe County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-05 |
Otoe County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Otoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otoe County | 16,531 | ▲ 0.2% | 1,433 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Atchison County MO | 5,175 | ▲ 4.0% | 800 MW | — | — | — |
| Cass County | 27,657 | ▲ 6.8% | 346 MW | 792 MW | — | 1 |
| Fremont County IA | 6,522 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Gage County | 21,711 | ▼ 2.2% | 247 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Johnson County | 5,218 | ▼ 2.6% | 7 MW | 4 MW | — | 1 |
| Lancaster County | 334,049 | ▲ 2.3% | 811 MW | 852 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Nemaha County | 7,102 | ▼ 3.7% | 820 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Otoe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Otoe County, Nebraska?
5 utilities have service territory in Otoe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska Public Power District, City of Nebraska City, City of Syracuse - (NE). The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Otoe County?
4 operating plants with 1,433 MW of capacity. The largest is Nebraska City (1,390 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Otoe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Otoe County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lancaster County.
Is Otoe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,278 jobs in 2025 against 6,268 in 2019 (+0.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 327 to 289.
Does Otoe County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Otoe County, 1 in force.