Ottawa County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Miami, Commerce and Fairland
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ottawa County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 400, up 59.4% since 2019. Ottawa County is home to Miami, Commerce, Fairland and Quapaw. Next door, McDonald County, Missouri, has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 12,894 jobs in 2025, up 4.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Ottawa County
Ottawa County is home to Miami, Commerce, Fairland and Quapaw.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dotyville, Narcissa.
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 Ottawa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 30,240 | 30,438 | ▲ 0.7% | 32nd of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,345 | 12,894 | ▲ 4.4% | 27th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,419 | $46,310 | ▲ 34.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 251 | 400 | ▲ 59.4% | 8th of 48 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6 | 38 | ▲ 533.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 26, at an average $40,631 a year. Public Service Co of Oklahoma is the largest utility serving Ottawa County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.73¢/kWh in 2024. 30,438 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Ottawa County
Utilities with service territory in Ottawa 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% |
| Empire District Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,901 | 14.61¢ | 25% |
| Miami Special Utility 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.
No operating power plant is located in Ottawa County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ottawa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,894 | $46,310 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 400 | $48,510 | 0.59 |
| Electrical contractors | 26 | $40,631 | 0.28 |
| Power and communication line construction | 38 | $131,295 | 1.82 |
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 Ottawa County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ottawa County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Ottawa County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Ottawa County, Cherokee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | 30,438 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County KS | 19,105 | ▲ 0.1% | 268 MW | 27 MW | — | — |
| Craig County | 14,518 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Delaware County | 41,910 | ▲ 7.6% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| McDonald County MO | 23,992 | ▼ 17.6% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Newton County MO | 62,263 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Ottawa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ottawa County, Oklahoma?
4 utilities have service territory in Ottawa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Northeast Oklahoma Electric Co, Empire District Electric Co, Miami Special Utility Authority. The largest, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, charged residential customers 12.73¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Miami, OK in?
Miami is in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. About 12,893 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Ottawa County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ottawa County. The nearest activity on record is next door in McDonald County.
Is Ottawa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,894 jobs in 2025 against 12,345 in 2019 (+4.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 251 to 400.
Does Ottawa County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ottawa County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.