Richardson County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Falls City
No data center or power plant project is on record in Richardson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Richardson County is home to Falls City and Humboldt. Employers here counted 2,318 jobs in 2025, down 5.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 91 MW of capacity, 66% of it wind. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Omaha Public Power District is the largest utility serving Richardson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.36¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities.
Cities and towns in Richardson County
Richardson County is home to Falls City and Humboldt.
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 Richardson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,862 | 7,530 | ▼ 4.2% | 38th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,463 | 2,318 | ▼ 5.9% | 78th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,946 | $45,132 | ▲ 33.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 72 | 76 | ▲ 5.6% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7 | 6 | ▼ 14.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
7,530 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 6, down 14.3% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $44,900 a year.
Who powers Richardson County
Utilities with service territory in Richardson 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 | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Falls City - (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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 60 MW | 66% |
| Natural gas | 30 MW | 33% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Water Wind Farm LLC | Flat Water Wind Farm LLC | Wind | 60 MW | 2010 |
| Falls City | City of Falls City - (NE) | Natural gas | 31 MW | 1930 |
The Richardson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,318 | $45,132 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 76 | $47,190 | 0.62 |
| Electrical contractors | 6 | $44,900 | 0.36 |
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 Richardson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Richardson County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide.
Richardson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Richardson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson County | 7,530 | ▼ 5.9% | 91 MW | — | — | — |
| Atchison County MO | 5,175 | ▲ 4.0% | 800 MW | — | — | — |
| Brown County KS | 9,104 | ▼ 16.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Doniphan County KS | 7,594 | ▲ 23.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Holt County MO | 4,200 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Nemaha County KS | 10,054 | ▲ 15.3% | 322 MW | — | — | — |
| Nemaha County | 7,102 | ▼ 3.7% | 820 MW | — | — | — |
| Pawnee County | 2,510 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Richardson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Richardson County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Richardson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Omaha Public Power District, Nebraska Public Power District, Auburn Board of Public Works, City of Falls City - (NE). The largest, Omaha Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.36¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Richardson County?
2 operating plants with 91 MW of capacity. The largest is Flat Water Wind Farm LLC (60 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Richardson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Richardson County.
Is Richardson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,318 jobs in 2025 against 2,463 in 2019 (-5.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 72 to 76.
Does Richardson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Richardson County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.