Wheeler County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Wheeler 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. Wheeler County is home to Bartlett and Ericson. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Cornhusker Public Power Dist is the largest utility serving Wheeler County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.84¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 303 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 789 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Wheeler County
Wheeler County is home to Bartlett and Ericson.
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 Wheeler County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 773 | 789 | ▲ 2.1% | 84th of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 302 | 303 | ▲ 0.3% | 46th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,937 | $44,290 | ▲ 23.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 2.2% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
Who powers Wheeler County
Utilities with service territory in Wheeler County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornhusker Public Power Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 7,385 | 10.84¢ | 20% |
| Elkhorn Rural Public Pwr Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 6,146 | 9.41¢ | 11% |
| Loup Valleys Rural P P D | — | — | — | — | — |
| Niobrara Valley El Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 98% |
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 Wheeler County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wheeler County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 303 | $44,290 | 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 Wheeler County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wheeler County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Garfield County.
Wheeler County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Wheeler County, Antelope 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County | 789 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Antelope County | 6,352 | ▲ 0.2% | 818 MW | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 5,355 | ▲ 2.4% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
| Garfield County | 1,710 | ▼ 3.5% | 4 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Greeley County | 2,154 | ▲ 2.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Holt County | 10,067 | ▼ 2.0% | 402 MW | — | — | — |
| Valley County | 4,094 | ▼ 3.1% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Wheeler County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wheeler County, Nebraska?
5 utilities have service territory in Wheeler County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Cornhusker Public Power Dist, Elkhorn Rural Public Pwr Dist, Loup Valleys Rural P P D, Niobrara Valley El Member Corp. The largest, Cornhusker Public Power Dist, charged residential customers 10.84¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Wheeler County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wheeler County.
Is Wheeler County adding jobs?
Employers counted 303 jobs in 2025 against 302 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wheeler County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wheeler County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.