Taylor County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Perry
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Taylor County. Unemployment was 8.2% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Taylor County is home to Perry. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Rejected local moratorium on data centers”. Employers here counted 5,450 jobs in 2025, down 15.1% from 2019. Construction employs 310, down 9.9% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Taylor County
Taylor County is home to Perry.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Steinhatchee.
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 Taylor County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,756 | 21,210 | ▼ 2.5% | 54th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,417 | 5,450 | ▼ 15.1% | 67th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,749 | $49,322 | ▲ 21.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 344 | 310 | ▼ 9.9% | 55th of 59 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 8.2% | ▲ 3.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 73 MW | — |
73 MW has retired here since 2019, including Buckeye Florida LP (other technologies, 73 MW, 2023). Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 32, at an average $57,115 a year. Duke Energy Florida, LLC is the largest utility serving Taylor County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.54¢ median for Florida utilities. 21,210 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Taylor County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −73 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Taylor County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,793,067 | 16.63¢ | 38% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,028 | 17.61¢ | 14% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Solar Facility | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Florida LP | Other technologies | 73 MW | 2023 |
The Taylor County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,450 | $49,322 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 310 | $62,507 | 1.07 |
| Electrical contractors | 32 | $57,115 | 0.81 |
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 Taylor County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rejected local moratorium on data centers | Failed / vetoed | 2026-07 |
Taylor County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Taylor County, Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County | 21,210 | ▼ 15.1% | 5 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Dixie County | 18,038 | ▲ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 16,007 | ▲ 19.3% | — | 75 MW | — | — |
| Lafayette County | 8,792 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 18,759 | ▲ 10.1% | 224 MW | 74 MW | — | 1 |
More of Florida
Taylor County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Taylor County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Taylor County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Florida, LLC, Tri-County Electric Coop, Inc (FL). The largest, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, charged residential customers 16.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Taylor County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Perry Solar Facility (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Taylor County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Taylor County.
Is Taylor County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,450 jobs in 2025 against 6,417 in 2019 (-15.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 344 to 310.
Does Taylor County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Taylor County, 0 in force.