Webster County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Inavale
No data center or power plant project is on record in Webster County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Webster County is home to Red Cloud and Blue Hill. 251 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 347 MW of capacity, 98% of it wind. Employers here counted 1,066 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Webster County
Webster County is home to Red Cloud and Blue Hill.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Inavale.
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 Webster County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,389 | 3,336 | ▼ 1.6% | 63rd of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,048 | 1,066 | ▲ 1.7% | 39th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,323 | $43,824 | ▲ 31.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.2% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 251 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Southern Public Power District is the largest utility serving Webster County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.21¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 3,336 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Webster County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +251 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Webster County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 15,215 | 9.21¢ | 27% |
| South Central Public Pwr Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 3,777 | 9.54¢ | 62% |
| City of Red Cloud - (NE) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Blue Hill - (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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 340 MW | 98% |
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Blue Wind Project, LLC | Little Blue Wind Project, LLC | Wind | 251 MW | 2021 |
| Cottonwood Wind Energy Center | Cottonwood Wind Project | Wind | 90 MW | 2017 |
| Red Cloud | City of Red Cloud - (NE) | Petroleum | 6 MW | 1953 |
| City Light & Water | City of Blue Hill - (NE) | Petroleum | 1 MW | 1987 |
The Webster County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,066 | $43,824 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 30 | $40,118 | 0.53 |
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 Webster County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Webster County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Kearney County.
Webster County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Webster County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County | 3,336 | ▲ 1.7% | 347 MW | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 31,071 | ▲ 1.7% | 388 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 6,170 | ▼ 13.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 2,795 | ▲ 6.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Jewell County KS | 2,830 | ▼ 7.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Kearney County | 6,790 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Nuckolls County | 4,100 | ▲ 10.0% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Smith County KS | 3,566 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Webster County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Webster County, Nebraska?
4 utilities have service territory in Webster County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southern Public Power District, South Central Public Pwr Dist, City of Red Cloud - (NE), City of Blue Hill - (NE). The largest, Southern Public Power District, charged residential customers 9.21¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Webster County?
4 operating plants with 347 MW of capacity. The largest is Little Blue Wind Project, LLC (251 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Webster County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Webster County.
Is Webster County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,066 jobs in 2025 against 1,048 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Webster County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Webster County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.