Niobrara County, Wyoming: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lusk
Niobrara 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. Niobrara County is home to Lusk. Next door, Converse County has 1 data center and 998 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 789 jobs in 2025, down 9.1% from 2019. Town of Lusk - (WY) is the largest utility serving Niobrara County, one of 3 with territory here. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Niobrara County
Niobrara County is home to Lusk.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lance Creek.
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 Niobrara County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wyoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,451 | 2,341 | ▼ 4.5% | 23rd of 23 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 868 | 789 | ▼ 9.1% | 21st of 23 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,490 | $46,890 | ▲ 25.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
2,341 people live here, down 4.5% since 2020.
Who powers Niobrara County
Utilities with service territory in Niobrara County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town of Lusk - (WY) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Niobrara Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 77% |
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 Niobrara County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Niobrara County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 789 | $46,890 | 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 Niobrara County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Niobrara County. Wyoming has 2 local measures on record statewide.
Niobrara County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Niobrara County, Converse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niobrara County | 2,341 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Converse County | 13,824 | ▼ 12.3% | 2,400 MW | 998 MW | 1 | — |
| Custer County SD | 9,431 | ▲ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Fall River County SD | 7,467 | ▲ 2.2% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Goshen County | 12,640 | ▼ 1.1% | — | 163 MW | — | — |
| Platte County | 8,634 | ▼ 6.3% | 1,907 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Sioux County NE | 1,188 | ▲ 16.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Weston County | 6,840 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Wyoming
Niobrara County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Niobrara County, Wyoming?
3 utilities have service territory in Niobrara County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Town of Lusk - (WY), Niobrara Electric Assn, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
Are there data centers in Niobrara County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Niobrara County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Converse County.
Is Niobrara County adding jobs?
Employers counted 789 jobs in 2025 against 868 in 2019 (-9.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Niobrara County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Niobrara County. Wyoming has 2 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.