Pawnee County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cleveland and Pawnee
Pawnee 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. Pawnee County is home to Cleveland and Pawnee. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Willow Creek Energy Storage, LLC (battery storage), the 10th largest pipeline among Oklahoma's counties. 200 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Tulsa County has 17 data centers. Employers here counted 3,383 jobs in 2025, down 4.5% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Pawnee County
Pawnee County is home to Cleveland and Pawnee.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Quay.
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 Pawnee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,553 | 16,029 | ▲ 3.1% | 44th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,541 | 3,383 | ▼ 4.5% | 53rd of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,094 | $47,073 | ▲ 23.6% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24 | 21 | ▼ 12.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | no fleet today | 10th of 12 by size |
Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Pawnee County, one of 4 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 21, down 12.5% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $62,460 a year. 16,029 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Pawnee County
Utilities with service territory in Pawnee 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% |
| Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,650 | 11.56¢ | 40% |
| Indian Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,839 | 12.57¢ | 35% |
| City of Pawnee - (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 Pawnee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek Energy Storage | Batteries | 200 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Willow Creek Energy Storage, LLC |
The Pawnee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,383 | $47,073 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 21 | $62,460 | 0.86 |
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 Pawnee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pawnee County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Pawnee County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Pawnee County, Tulsa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pawnee County | 16,029 | ▼ 4.5% | — | 200 MW | — | — |
| Creek County | 74,967 | ▲ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Noble County | 10,899 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,656 MW | — | — | — |
| Osage County | 46,794 | ▲ 21.5% | 163 MW | — | — | — |
| Payne County | 83,889 | ▲ 5.1% | 81 MW | 419 MW | 1 | — |
| Tulsa County | 698,782 | ▲ 2.7% | 2,461 MW | — | 17 | — |
More of Oklahoma
Pawnee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pawnee County, Oklahoma?
4 utilities have service territory in Pawnee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc, Indian Electric Coop, Inc, City of Pawnee - (OK). The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Pawnee County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 200 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Willow Creek Energy Storage, LLC.
Are there data centers in Pawnee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pawnee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Tulsa County.
Is Pawnee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,383 jobs in 2025 against 3,541 in 2019 (-4.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pawnee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pawnee County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.