Cherokee County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tahlequah
Cherokee County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 527, up 108.3% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Cherokee County. Cherokee County is home to Tahlequah. Electrical contractors employ 31, up 55.0% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $54,332 a year. Employers here counted 18,652 jobs in 2025, up 18.2% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 77 Oklahoma counties).
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Tahlequah.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Barber, Briggs, Caney, Caney Ridge, Cookson, Dry Creek, Eldon, Etta, Gideon, Grandview, Johnson Prairie, Keys, Lost City, Lowrey, Moodys, Norwood, Park Hill, Peggs, Pettit, Pumpkin Hollow, Rocky Ford, Shady Grove, Sparrowhawk, Steely Hollow, Tenkiller, Teresita, Welling, Woodall, Zeb.
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 Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 47,085 | 49,196 | ▲ 4.5% | 19th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,786 | 18,652 | ▲ 18.2% | 9th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,505 | $51,697 | ▲ 41.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 253 | 527 | ▲ 108.3% | 3rd of 48 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20 | 31 | ▲ 55.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 45 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.78¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.53¢ median for Oklahoma utilities. 49,196 people live here, up 4.5% since 2020.
Who powers Cherokee County
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee 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% |
| Northeast Oklahoma Electric Co | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,871 | 12.85¢ | 27% |
| Lake Region Electric Coop, Inc - (OK) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,788 | 12.02¢ | 8% |
| Cookson Hills Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,551 | 14.18¢ | 11% |
| Ozarks Electric Coop Corp - (AR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,783 | 14.20¢ | 29% |
| Tahlequah Public Works Authority | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 45 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Gibson | USCE-Tulsa District | Hydro | 45 MW | 1953 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,652 | $51,697 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 527 | $66,386 | 0.53 |
| Electrical contractors | 31 | $54,332 | 0.23 |
| Power and communication line construction | 93 | $70,143 | 3.09 |
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 Cherokee County
1 data center in Cherokee County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Cherokee County, Mayes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 49,196 | ▲ 18.2% | 45 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Adair County | 19,828 | ▼ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Delaware County | 41,910 | ▲ 7.6% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Mayes County | 40,416 | ▲ 11.7% | 3,358 MW | 794 MW | 1 | — |
| Muskogee County | 66,708 | ▼ 13.0% | 1,905 MW | 400 MW | 3 | — |
| Sequoyah County | 40,842 | ▼ 0.9% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Wagoner County | 93,263 | ▲ 24.3% | 1,214 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, Oklahoma?
7 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Northeast Oklahoma Electric Co, Lake Region Electric Coop, Inc - (OK). The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Tahlequah, OK in?
Tahlequah is in Cherokee County, Oklahoma. About 17,508 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
1 operating plant with 45 MW of capacity. The largest is Fort Gibson (45 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Cherokee County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,652 jobs in 2025 against 15,786 in 2019 (+18.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 253 to 527.
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cherokee County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.