Latimer County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wilburton
Latimer 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. Employers here counted 3,110 jobs in 2025, up 31.0% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 77 Oklahoma counties). Latimer County is home to Wilburton and Red Oak. Construction employs 188, up 19.7% since 2019. Next door, Le Flore County has 400 MW of planned generation. Public Service Co of Oklahoma is the largest utility serving Latimer County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.73¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Latimer County
Latimer County is home to Wilburton and Red Oak.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gowen, Panola.
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 Latimer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,477 | 9,645 | ▲ 1.8% | 58th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,374 | 3,110 | ▲ 31.0% | 2nd of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,510 | $57,469 | ▲ 38.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 157 | 188 | ▲ 19.7% | 21st of 48 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. 9,645 people live here, up 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Latimer County
Utilities with service territory in Latimer County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of Oklahoma | Investor Owned | Bundled | 501,093 | 12.73¢ | 36% |
| Kiamichi Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,685 | 12.90¢ | 19% |
| Cookson Hills Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,551 | 14.18¢ | 11% |
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 Latimer County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Latimer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,110 | $57,469 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 188 | $61,902 | 1.14 |
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 Latimer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Latimer County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Latimer County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Latimer County, Le Flore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latimer County | 9,645 | ▲ 31.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Haskell County | 11,787 | ▼ 7.8% | 90 MW | — | — | — |
| Le Flore County | 50,196 | ▼ 3.9% | 350 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Pittsburg County | 43,320 | ▼ 9.7% | 1,375 MW | — | — | — |
| Pushmataha County | 10,807 | ▲ 0.2% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Latimer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Latimer County, Oklahoma?
3 utilities have service territory in Latimer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Kiamichi Electric Coop, Inc, Cookson Hills Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, charged residential customers 12.73¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Latimer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Latimer County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Le Flore County.
Is Latimer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,110 jobs in 2025 against 2,374 in 2019 (+31.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 157 to 188.
Does Latimer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Latimer County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.