Payne County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stillwater, Cushing and Perkins
The data center boom is not abstract in Payne County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Payne County. Payne County is home to Stillwater, Cushing, Perkins and Yale. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Google Stillwater Data Center Campus (up to 6 buildings). 419 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Associated Electric Coop, Inc (natural gas), the 5th largest pipeline among Oklahoma's counties. 419 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Payne County
Payne County is home to Stillwater, Cushing, Perkins and Yale.
- Drumright also extends into Creek County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ingalls, Mehan, 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 Payne County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 81,647 | 83,889 | ▲ 2.7% | 8th of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33,605 | 35,314 | ▲ 5.1% | 25th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,714 | $53,788 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,520 | 1,638 | ▲ 7.8% | 31st of 48 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 181 | 135 | ▼ 25.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 8 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 419 MW | 517% of today's fleet | 5th of 12 by size |
Construction employs 1,638, up 7.8% since 2019. 8 MW has retired here since 2019, including Boomer Lake Station (petroleum, 6 MW, 2022). Employers here counted 35,314 jobs in 2025, up 5.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 81 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Payne 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. 83,889 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020, 8th of 77 Oklahoma counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 135, down 25.4% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $50,513 a year.
Who powers Payne County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −8 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Payne 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% |
| Stillwater Utilities Authority | Municipal | Bundled | 19,640 | 13.25¢ | 42% |
| Indian Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,839 | 12.57¢ | 35% |
| City of Cushing - (OK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Yale - (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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 81 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillwater Energy Center | Stillwater Utilities Authority | Natural gas | 56 MW | 2016 |
| Cushing | City of Cushing - (OK) | Natural gas | 25 MW | 1936 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley Energy Center | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 419 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Associated Electric Coop, Inc |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boomer Lake Station | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2022 |
| Stillwater Water Treatment Plant | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2022 |
The Payne County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 35,314 | $53,788 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,638 | $69,421 | 0.88 |
| Electrical contractors | 135 | $50,513 | 0.53 |
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 Payne County
1 data center in Payne County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Stillwater Data Center Campus (up to 6 buildings) | under construction amid water concerns | — |
Payne County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Payne County, Noble 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payne County | 83,889 | ▲ 5.1% | 81 MW | 419 MW | 1 | — |
| Creek County | 74,967 | ▲ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 35,278 | ▲ 9.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 55,473 | ▲ 21.3% | 1,146 MW | — | — | — |
| Noble County | 10,899 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,656 MW | — | — | — |
| Pawnee County | 16,029 | ▼ 4.5% | — | 200 MW | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Payne County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Payne County, Oklahoma?
6 utilities have service territory in Payne County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Central Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc, Stillwater Utilities Authority, Indian Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Stillwater, OK in?
Stillwater is in Payne County, Oklahoma. About 50,046 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Payne County?
2 operating plants with 81 MW of capacity. The largest is Stillwater Energy Center (56 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Payne County?
419 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 419 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Associated Electric Coop, Inc.
Are there data centers in Payne County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Payne County.
Is Payne County adding jobs?
Employers counted 35,314 jobs in 2025 against 33,605 in 2019 (+5.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,520 to 1,638.
Does Payne County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Payne County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.