Harding County, New Mexico: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Harding County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Harding County is home to Roy and Mosquero. Employers here counted 168 jobs in 2025, up 7.7% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 33 New Mexico counties). Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM) is the largest utility serving Harding County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.87¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.46¢ median for New Mexico utilities. 617 people live here, down 5.4% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Harding County
Harding County is home to Roy and Mosquero.
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 Harding County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 652 | 617 | ▼ 5.4% | 33rd of 33 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 168 | ▲ 7.7% | 7th of 33 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,936 | $49,855 | ▲ 38.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
Who powers Harding County
Utilities with service territory in Harding County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM) | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,258 | 12.87¢ | 27% |
| Springer Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,453 | 19.01¢ | 10% |
| Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM) | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,434 | 24.09¢ | 3% |
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 Harding County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Harding County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 168 | $49,855 | 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 Harding County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harding County. New Mexico has 12 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Colfax County.
Harding County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Harding County, Union 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harding County | 617 | ▲ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Colfax County | 12,184 | ▼ 6.6% | 44 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mora County | 4,051 | ▼ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Quay County | 8,454 | ▼ 1.1% | 409 MW | — | — | — |
| San Miguel County | 26,260 | ▼ 2.4% | 32 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 3,844 | ▼ 8.9% | — | 190 MW | — | — |
More of New Mexico
Harding County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harding County, New Mexico?
3 utilities have service territory in Harding County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM), Springer Electric Coop, Inc, Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (NM). The largest, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (NM), charged residential customers 12.87¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Harding County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harding County.
Is Harding County adding jobs?
Employers counted 168 jobs in 2025 against 156 in 2019 (+7.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Harding County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harding County. New Mexico has 12 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.