Baker County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Macclenny
No data center or power plant project is on record in Baker County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 531, up 50.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Baker County is home to Macclenny and Glen St. Mary. 74 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Florida Power & Light Co (solar). 74 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Next door, Duval County has 14 data centers.
Cities and towns in Baker County
Baker County is home to Macclenny and Glen St. Mary.
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 Baker County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,114 | 29,737 | ▲ 5.8% | 50th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,587 | 7,471 | ▼ 1.5% | 66th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,855 | $47,566 | ▲ 40.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 353 | 531 | ▲ 50.4% | 6th of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 5.0% | ▲ 2.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 298 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 25% of today's fleet | 17th of 18 by size |
298 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 298 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Employers here counted 7,471 jobs in 2025, down 1.5% from 2019. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Baker County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 29,737 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020.
Who powers Baker County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +298 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Baker County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 171,179 | 13.09¢ | 20% |
| Okefenoke Rural El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,088 | 13.95¢ | 8% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 298 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Trail | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Egret Solar Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2020 |
| Nature Trail | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Northern Preserve Solar | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Trail | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
The Baker County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,471 | $47,566 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 531 | $57,683 | 1.34 |
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 Baker County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Baker County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clay County, Nassau County.
Baker County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Baker County, Duval 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker County | 29,737 | ▼ 1.5% | 298 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Bradford County | 28,307 | ▲ 51.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Charlton County GA | 13,121 | ▲ 12.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 239,593 | ▲ 7.6% | 224 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Clinch County GA | 6,847 | ▲ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Columbia County | 74,094 | ▲ 0.3% | 403 MW | — | — | — |
| Duval County | 1,062,963 | ▲ 7.0% | 3,054 MW | 174 MW | 14 | — |
| Nassau County | 106,879 | ▲ 17.1% | 310 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Union County | 16,250 | ▲ 4.9% | 74 MW | — | — | — |
| Ware County GA | 36,906 | ▼ 9.5% | 85 MW | — | — | — |
More of Florida
Baker County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Baker County, Florida?
3 utilities have service territory in Baker County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Clay Electric Cooperative, Inc - (FL), Okefenoke Rural El Member Corp. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Baker County?
4 operating plants with 298 MW of capacity. The largest is Cedar Trail (74 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Baker County?
74 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 74 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Florida Power & Light Co.
Are there data centers in Baker County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Baker County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Duval County.
Is Baker County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,471 jobs in 2025 against 7,587 in 2019 (-1.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 353 to 531.
Does Baker County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Baker County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.