Stephens County, Oklahoma: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Duncan, Marlow and Comanche
Stephens County is where a large share of Oklahoma's next power plants are planned. Stephens County is home to Duncan, Marlow, Comanche and Central High. 458 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Roy Solar, LLC (solar), the 4th largest pipeline among Oklahoma's counties. 458 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 616, up 13.7% since 2019. Its power plants have 250 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Stephens County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.78¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.53¢ median for Oklahoma utilities.
Cities and towns in Stephens County
Stephens County is home to Duncan, Marlow, Comanche and Central High.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Sunray.
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 Stephens County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oklahoma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 42,835 | 44,310 | ▲ 3.4% | 22nd of 77 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,625 | 14,725 | ▲ 0.7% | 36th of 77 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,002 | $54,813 | ▲ 24.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 542 | 616 | ▲ 13.7% | 24th of 48 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 205 | 186 | ▼ 9.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 458 MW | 183% of today's fleet | 4th of 12 by size |
Employers here counted 14,725 jobs in 2025, up 0.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 186, down 9.3% since 2019 against up 8.3% statewide, at an average $84,701 a year. 44,310 people live here, up 3.4% since 2020.
Who powers Stephens County
Utilities with service territory in Stephens 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% |
| Cotton Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,696 | 11.86¢ | 24% |
| Rural Electric Coop, Inc - (OK) | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,047 | 11.35¢ | 50% |
| City of Comanche - (OK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Duncan - (OK) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Marlow - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 250 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Springs Wind | Rush Springs Wind Project | Wind | 250 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 258 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Roy Solar, LLC |
| Rush Springs Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Rush Springs Solar, LLC |
The Stephens County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,725 | $54,813 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 616 | $67,168 | 0.79 |
| Electrical contractors | 186 | $84,701 | 1.75 |
| Electric utilities | 15 | $115,525 | 0.38 |
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 Stephens County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stephens County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures on record statewide.
Stephens County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Stephens County, Comanche 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County | 44,310 | ▲ 0.7% | 250 MW | 458 MW | — | — |
| Carter County | 48,910 | ▲ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Comanche County | 122,158 | ▼ 2.2% | 520 MW | 1,373 MW | — | — |
| Cotton County | 5,432 | ▲ 17.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Garvin County | 26,377 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Grady County | 59,128 | ▲ 4.0% | 486 MW | 250 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 5,431 | ▼ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Oklahoma
Stephens County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stephens County, Oklahoma?
7 utilities have service territory in Stephens County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, Public Service Co of Oklahoma, Cotton Electric Coop, Inc, Rural Electric Coop, Inc - (OK). The largest, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 11.78¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Duncan, OK in?
Duncan is in Stephens County, Oklahoma. About 23,238 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Stephens County?
1 operating plant with 250 MW of capacity. The largest is Rush Springs Wind (250 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Stephens County?
458 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 458 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Roy Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Stephens County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stephens County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Comanche County.
Is Stephens County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,725 jobs in 2025 against 14,625 in 2019 (+0.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 542 to 616.
Does Stephens County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stephens County. Oklahoma has 15 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.