McClain County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Newcastle, Blanchard and Purcell
No data center or power plant project is on record in McClain County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 12,590 jobs in 2025, up 31.2% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 77 Oklahoma counties). Construction employs 1,616, up 33.2% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. McClain County is home to Newcastle, most of Blanchard (7,655 of its 10,013 residents), Purcell and Goldsby. Next door, Grady County has 250 MW of planned generation. 49,647 people live here, up 18.4% since 2020.
Cities and towns in McClain County
McClain County is home to Newcastle, most of Blanchard (7,655 of its 10,013 residents), Purcell and Goldsby.
- Blanchard also extends into Grady County.
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 McClain County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,922 | 49,647 | ▲ 18.4% | 18th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,599 | 12,590 | ▲ 31.2% | 1st of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,000 | $50,179 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,213 | 1,616 | ▲ 33.2% | 15th of 48 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 87 | 69 | ▼ 20.7% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 88 | 64 | ▼ 27.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 551 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving McClain County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.78¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.53¢ median for Oklahoma utilities. Electrical contractors employ 69, down 20.7% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $54,767 a year.
Who powers McClain County
Utilities with service territory in McClain 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% |
| Oklahoma Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 58,544 | 12.25¢ | 20% |
| People's Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,728 | 12.53¢ | 28% |
| Rural Electric Coop, Inc - (OK) | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,047 | 11.35¢ | 50% |
| City of Purcell - (OK) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 551 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McClain Energy Facility | Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co | Natural gas | 551 MW | 2001 |
The McClain County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,590 | $50,179 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,616 | $61,434 | 2.42 |
| Electrical contractors | 69 | $54,767 | 0.76 |
| Power and communication line construction | 64 | $76,066 | 3.15 |
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 McClain County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McClain County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
McClain County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McClain County, Grady 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McClain County | 49,647 | ▲ 31.2% | 551 MW | — | — | — |
| Canadian County | 187,189 | ▲ 5.3% | 896 MW | — | — | — |
| Cleveland County | 303,973 | ▲ 9.1% | 21 MW | — | — | — |
| Garvin County | 26,377 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Grady County | 59,128 | ▲ 4.0% | 486 MW | 250 MW | — | — |
| Pontotoc County | 38,528 | ▲ 7.8% | 152 MW | — | — | — |
| Pottawatomie County | 75,102 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
McClain County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McClain County, Oklahoma?
6 utilities have service territory in McClain County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Electric Coop Inc, People's Electric Cooperative. The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Newcastle, OK in?
Newcastle is in McClain County, Oklahoma. About 15,198 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in McClain County?
1 operating plant with 551 MW of capacity. The largest is McClain Energy Facility (551 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in McClain County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McClain County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Grady County.
Is McClain County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,590 jobs in 2025 against 9,599 in 2019 (+31.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,213 to 1,616.
Does McClain County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McClain County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.