Pawnee County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Pawnee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Pawnee County is home to Pawnee City. Employers here counted 683 jobs in 2025, down 6.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Pawnee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.36¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 2,510 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Pawnee County
Pawnee County is home to Pawnee City.
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 Pawnee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,536 | 2,510 | ▼ 1.0% | 71st of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 733 | 683 | ▼ 6.8% | 80th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,434 | $47,848 | ▲ 35.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Who powers Pawnee County
Utilities with service territory in Pawnee 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% |
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 Pawnee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Pawnee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 683 | $47,848 | 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 Pawnee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pawnee County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Gage County, Johnson County.
Pawnee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pawnee County, Nemaha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawnee County | 2,510 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Gage County | 21,711 | ▼ 2.2% | 247 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Johnson County | 5,218 | ▼ 2.6% | 7 MW | 4 MW | — | 1 |
| Marshall County KS | 9,852 | ▼ 5.5% | 374 MW | — | — | — |
| Nemaha County KS | 10,054 | ▲ 15.3% | 322 MW | — | — | — |
| Nemaha County | 7,102 | ▼ 3.7% | 820 MW | — | — | — |
| Richardson County | 7,530 | ▼ 5.9% | 91 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Pawnee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pawnee County, Nebraska?
2 utilities have service territory in Pawnee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska Public Power District. The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Pawnee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pawnee County.
Is Pawnee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 683 jobs in 2025 against 733 in 2019 (-6.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pawnee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pawnee County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.