Liberty County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hosford and Lake Mystic
Liberty 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. Construction employs 178, up 249.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Liberty County is home to Bristol. Next door, Leon County has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 14 MW has retired here since 2019, including Telogia Power (other technologies, 14 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Liberty County
Liberty County is home to Bristol.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hosford, Lake Mystic, Sumatra.
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 Liberty County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,818 | 8,035 | ▲ 2.8% | 67th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,880 | 1,908 | ▲ 1.5% | 62nd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,746 | $52,515 | ▲ 35.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 51 | 178 | ▲ 249.0% | 1st of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 14 MW | — |
Talquin Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Liberty County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.85¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.54¢ median for Florida utilities. Employers here counted 1,908 jobs in 2025, up 1.5% from 2019. 8,035 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Liberty County
Utilities with service territory in Liberty County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talquin Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 53,881 | 14.85¢ | 16% |
| Florida Public Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 25,560 | 18.01¢ | 44% |
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 Liberty County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telogia Power | Other technologies | 14 MW | 2020 |
The Liberty County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,908 | $52,515 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 178 | $70,618 | 1.76 |
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 Liberty County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Liberty County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Jackson County, Leon County, Wakulla County.
Liberty County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Liberty County, Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty County | 8,035 | ▲ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 13,289 | ▲ 13.6% | 820 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 13,029 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Gadsden County | 44,298 | ▲ 3.4% | 196 MW | — | — | — |
| Gulf County | 15,943 | ▲ 26.6% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 49,629 | ▼ 0.6% | 228 MW | 75 MW | — | 2 |
| Leon County | 299,048 | ▲ 8.0% | 754 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Wakulla County | 38,089 | ▲ 13.5% | 272 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Florida
Liberty County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Liberty County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Liberty County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Talquin Electric Coop, Inc, Florida Public Utilities Co. The largest, Talquin Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 14.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Liberty County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Liberty County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Leon County.
Is Liberty County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,908 jobs in 2025 against 1,880 in 2019 (+1.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 51 to 178.
Does Liberty County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Liberty County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.