Thomas County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Seneca
Thomas 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. Thomas County is home to Thedford and most of Halsey (59 of its 62 residents). Employers here counted 225 jobs in 2025, down 8.9% from 2019. Custer Public Power District is the largest utility serving Thomas County. Its residential customers paid an average 12.71¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 639 people live here, down 4.8% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Thomas County
Thomas County is home to Thedford and most of Halsey (59 of its 62 residents).
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Seneca.
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 Thomas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 671 | 639 | ▼ 4.8% | 88th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 247 | 225 | ▼ 8.9% | 84th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,630 | $41,847 | ▲ 17.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Who powers Thomas County
Utilities with service territory in Thomas County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,707 | 12.71¢ | 22% |
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 Thomas County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Thomas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 225 | $41,847 | 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 Thomas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Thomas County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Cherry County, Logan County.
Thomas County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Thomas County, Cherry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas County | 639 | ▼ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 458 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherry County | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Hooker County | 686 | ▼ 24.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 669 | ▼ 13.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| McPherson County | 369 | ▼ 20.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Thomas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Thomas County, Nebraska?
1 utility has service territory in Thomas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Custer Public Power District. The largest, Custer Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Thomas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Thomas County.
Is Thomas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 225 jobs in 2025 against 247 in 2019 (-8.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Thomas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Thomas County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.