Nassau County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fernandina Beach, Hilliard and Callahan
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Nassau County. Construction employs 1,937, up 43.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Nassau County is home to Fernandina Beach, Hilliard and Callahan. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Up to 12-month data center moratorium”. Employers here counted 27,745 jobs in 2025, up 17.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Nassau County
Nassau County is home to Fernandina Beach, Hilliard and Callahan.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Nassau Village-Ratliff, Yulee.
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 Nassau County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 91,040 | 106,879 | ▲ 17.4% | 37th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23,694 | 27,745 | ▲ 17.1% | 11th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,373 | $59,156 | ▲ 39.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,355 | 1,937 | ▲ 43.0% | 8th of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 4.6% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 149 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
106,879 people live here, up 17.4% since 2020. 149 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 310 MW of capacity, 48% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 174, at an average $48,385 a year. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Nassau County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Nassau County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +149 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Nassau 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% |
| JEA | Municipal | Bundled | 470,564 | 12.43¢ | 32% |
| Florida Public Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 25,560 | 18.01¢ | 44% |
| 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 149 MW | 48% |
| Other technologies | 139 MW | 45% |
| Natural gas | 22 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernandina Beach Mill | WestRock, Fernandina Beach | Other technologies | 97 MW | 1982 |
| Nassau Solar Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2020 |
| Thomas Creek | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2025 |
| Fernandina Plant | Rayonier Advanced Materials | Other technologies | 42 MW | 1950 |
| Eight Flags Energy | Eight Flags Energy LLC | Natural gas | 22 MW | 2016 |
The Nassau County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 27,745 | $59,156 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,937 | $57,330 | 1.32 |
| Electrical contractors | 174 | $48,385 | 0.87 |
| Data processing and hosting | 54 | $76,024 | 0.63 |
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 Nassau County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 12-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026 |
Nassau County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Nassau 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau County | 106,879 | ▲ 17.1% | 310 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Baker County | 29,737 | ▼ 1.5% | 298 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Camden County GA | 60,143 | ▲ 12.6% | 60 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Charlton County GA | 13,121 | ▲ 12.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Duval County | 1,062,963 | ▲ 7.0% | 3,054 MW | 174 MW | 14 | — |
More of Florida
Nassau County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Nassau County, Florida?
4 utilities have service territory in Nassau County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, JEA, Florida Public Utilities Co, Okefenoke Rural El Member Corp. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Fernandina Beach, FL in?
Fernandina Beach is in Nassau County, Florida. About 13,869 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Nassau County?
5 operating plants with 310 MW of capacity. The largest is Fernandina Beach Mill (97 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Nassau County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Nassau County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Duval County.
Is Nassau County adding jobs?
Employers counted 27,745 jobs in 2025 against 23,694 in 2019 (+17.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,355 to 1,937.
Does Nassau County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Nassau County, 1 in force.