Valley County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ord Township and Ord
No data center or power plant project is on record in Valley County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Valley County is home to Ord Township and Ord. Construction employs 104, up 7.2% since 2019. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,768 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Valley County
Valley County is home to Ord Township and Ord.
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 Valley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,058 | 4,094 | ▲ 0.9% | 60th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,825 | 1,768 | ▼ 3.1% | 70th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,590 | $47,357 | ▲ 33.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97 | 104 | ▲ 7.2% | 27th of 35 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Custer Public Power District is the largest utility serving Valley County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.71¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 4,094 people live here, up 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Valley County
Utilities with service territory in Valley 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% |
| Loup Valleys Rural P P D | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Ord - (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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ord | City of Ord - (NE) | Petroleum | 12 MW | 1963 |
The Valley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,768 | $47,357 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 104 | $49,152 | 1.11 |
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 Valley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Valley County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Custer County, Garfield County.
Valley County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Valley County, Custer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley County | 4,094 | ▼ 3.1% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 10,500 | ▲ 0.8% | 166 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Garfield County | 1,710 | ▼ 3.5% | 4 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Greeley County | 2,154 | ▲ 2.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Sherman County | 2,924 | ▼ 12.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 789 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Valley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Valley County, Nebraska?
3 utilities have service territory in Valley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Custer Public Power District, Loup Valleys Rural P P D, City of Ord - (NE). The largest, Custer Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Valley County?
1 operating plant with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Ord (12 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Valley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Valley County.
Is Valley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,768 jobs in 2025 against 1,825 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 97 to 104.
Does Valley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Valley County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.