Thayer County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hebron
Thayer County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Thayer County is home to Hebron and Deshler. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,208 jobs in 2025, down 3.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 59 MW of capacity, 98% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Thayer County
Thayer County is home to Hebron and Deshler.
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 Thayer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,022 | 4,842 | ▼ 3.6% | 55th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,287 | 2,208 | ▼ 3.5% | 71st of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,997 | $51,193 | ▲ 31.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 90 | 90 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16 | 13 | ▼ 18.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.2% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Norris Public Power District is the largest utility serving Thayer County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.61¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 4,842 people live here, down 3.6% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 13, down 18.8% since 2019 against up 17.5% statewide, at an average $46,481 a year.
Who powers Thayer County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Thayer County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norris Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 18,387 | 9.61¢ | 14% |
| South Central Public Pwr Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 3,777 | 9.54¢ | 62% |
| Village of Chester - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Davenport - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Deshler - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Fairbury | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Hubbell- (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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 58 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hebron | Nebraska Public Power District | Petroleum | 57 MW | 1973 |
| Deshler | City of Deshler - (NE) | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1956 |
| Deshler Solar | Today's Power, Inc. | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Thayer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,208 | $51,193 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 90 | $45,951 | 0.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 13 | $46,481 | 0.82 |
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 Thayer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Thayer County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Fillmore County.
Thayer County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Thayer County, Republic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thayer County | 4,842 | ▼ 3.5% | 59 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 6,170 | ▼ 13.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Fillmore County | 5,458 | ▲ 8.8% | 7 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 7,070 | ▲ 4.0% | 79 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Nuckolls County | 4,100 | ▲ 10.0% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Republic County KS | 4,640 | ▲ 5.3% | 653 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Saline County | 14,996 | ▼ 5.4% | 311 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County KS | 5,533 | ▲ 0.4% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Thayer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Thayer County, Nebraska?
7 utilities have service territory in Thayer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Norris Public Power District, South Central Public Pwr Dist, Village of Chester - (NE), Village of Davenport - (NE). The largest, Norris Public Power District, charged residential customers 9.61¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Thayer County?
3 operating plants with 59 MW of capacity. The largest is Hebron (57 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Thayer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Thayer County.
Is Thayer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,208 jobs in 2025 against 2,287 in 2019 (-3.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 90 to 90.
Does Thayer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Thayer County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.