Beckham County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elk City and Sayre
No data center or power plant project is on record in Beckham County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 1,630, up 146.6% since 2019, and construction is 3.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 122, up 74.3% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $65,635 a year. Beckham County is home to Elk City, Sayre and Erick. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Beckham County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.78¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.53¢ median for Oklahoma utilities. Employers here counted 9,616 jobs in 2025, up 0.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Beckham County
Beckham County is home to Elk City, Sayre and Erick.
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 Beckham County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,326 | 22,159 | ▼ 0.7% | 38th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,543 | 9,616 | ▲ 0.8% | 35th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,635 | $58,429 | ▲ 20.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 661 | 1,630 | ▲ 146.6% | 1st of 48 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 70 | 122 | ▲ 74.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.7% | ● 0.0pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 22,159 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Beckham County
Utilities with service territory in Beckham County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 710,123 | 11.78¢ | 44% |
| Public Service Co of Oklahoma | Investor Owned | Bundled | 501,093 | 12.73¢ | 36% |
| Harmon Electric Assn Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Northfork Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Beckham County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Beckham County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,616 | $58,429 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,630 | $76,005 | 3.20 |
| Electrical contractors | 122 | $65,635 | 1.76 |
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 Beckham County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Beckham County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Beckham County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Beckham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckham County | 22,159 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Collingsworth County TX | 2,487 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 28,175 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,146 MW | — | — | — |
| Greer County | 5,373 | ▼ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Harmon County | 2,327 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Kiowa County | 8,181 | ▲ 2.0% | 369 MW | — | — | — |
| Roger Mills County | 3,259 | ▼ 8.0% | 453 MW | — | — | — |
| Washita County | 10,884 | ▼ 4.9% | 376 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheeler County TX | 4,773 | ▼ 14.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Beckham County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Beckham County, Oklahoma?
4 utilities have service territory in Beckham County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Harmon Electric Assn Inc, Northfork Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Elk City, OK in?
Elk City is in Beckham County, Oklahoma. About 11,335 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Beckham County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Beckham County.
Is Beckham County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,616 jobs in 2025 against 9,543 in 2019 (+0.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 661 to 1,630.
Does Beckham County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Beckham County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.