Seward County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Seward and Milford
Seward County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Seward County is home to Seward, Milford and Utica. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “One-year data center moratorium”. Construction employs 484, up 6.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 63% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Seward County
Seward County is home to Seward, Milford and Utica.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Tamora.
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 Seward County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,624 | 18,032 | ▲ 2.3% | 18th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,083 | 6,002 | ▼ 1.3% | 58th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,308 | $53,155 | ▲ 25.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 453 | 484 | ▲ 6.8% | 28th of 35 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.6% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 45, at an average $47,193 a year. Nebraska Public Power District is the largest utility serving Seward County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 6,002 jobs in 2025, down 1.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 18,032 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Seward County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Seward 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% |
| Norris Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 18,387 | 9.61¢ | 14% |
| Perennial Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,142 | 9.74¢ | 4% |
| City of Seward - (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 | 2 MW | 63% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 37% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward Wind Farm | Seward Wind LLC | Wind | 2 MW | 2017 |
| Ruby-Norris | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Seward County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,002 | $53,155 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 484 | $64,033 | 1.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 45 | $47,193 | 1.04 |
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 Seward County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-06 |
Seward County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Seward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County | 18,032 | ▼ 1.3% | 3 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Butler County | 8,507 | ▲ 2.8% | 11 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Fillmore County | 5,458 | ▲ 8.8% | 7 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lancaster County | 334,049 | ▲ 2.3% | 811 MW | 852 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Polk County | 5,270 | ▼ 3.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Saline County | 14,996 | ▼ 5.4% | 311 MW | — | — | — |
| Saunders County | 23,702 | ▲ 9.8% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| York County | 14,564 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Seward County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Seward County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Seward County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nebraska Public Power District, Norris Public Power District, Perennial Public Power Dist, City of Seward - (NE). The largest, Nebraska Public Power District, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Seward County?
2 operating plants with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Seward Wind Farm (2 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Seward County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Seward County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lancaster County.
Is Seward County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,002 jobs in 2025 against 6,083 in 2019 (-1.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 453 to 484.
Does Seward County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Seward County, 1 in force.