Nowata County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nowata
Nowata 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. Nowata County is home to Nowata and South Coffeyville. Next door, Rogers County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,660 jobs in 2025, down 8.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Public Service Co of Oklahoma is the largest utility serving Nowata County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.73¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Nowata County
Nowata County is home to Nowata and South Coffeyville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Watova.
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 Nowata County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,323 | 9,522 | ▲ 2.1% | 59th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,813 | 1,660 | ▼ 8.4% | 65th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,786 | $45,373 | ▲ 23.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
9,522 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Nowata County
Utilities with service territory in Nowata 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% |
| Northeast Oklahoma Electric Co | Cooperative | Bundled | 37,871 | 12.85¢ | 27% |
| Verdigris Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,102 | 11.93¢ | 6% |
| Town of South Coffeyville - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Nowata County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Nowata County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,660 | $45,373 | 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 Nowata County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Nowata County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Nowata County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Nowata County, Rogers 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nowata County | 9,522 | ▼ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Craig County | 14,518 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Labette County KS | 19,685 | ▼ 4.3% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County KS | 30,177 | ▼ 2.2% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Rogers County | 102,197 | ▲ 12.1% | 1,478 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Washington County | 54,037 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Nowata County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nowata County, Oklahoma?
4 utilities have service territory in Nowata County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Northeast Oklahoma Electric Co, Verdigris Valley Elec Coop Inc, Town of South Coffeyville - (OK). The largest, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, charged residential customers 12.73¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Nowata County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nowata County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Rogers County.
Is Nowata County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,660 jobs in 2025 against 1,813 in 2019 (-8.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Nowata County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Nowata County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.