Cherokee County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Canton, Woodstock and Holly Springs
The build-out shows up in Cherokee County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 759, up 106.2% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $77,243 a year. Construction employs 6,919, up 48.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Cherokee County is home to Canton, Woodstock, Holly Springs and Ball Ground. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Data center moratorium extended by 180 days”. Employers here counted 73,868 jobs in 2025, up 13.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Canton, Woodstock, Holly Springs and Ball Ground.
- Nelson also extends into Pickens County.
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 Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 268,142 | 299,273 | ▲ 11.6% | 6th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 65,071 | 73,868 | ▲ 13.5% | 40th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,574 | $56,610 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,673 | 6,919 | ▲ 48.1% | 31st of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 368 | 759 | ▲ 106.2% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 444 | ▲ 184.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.9% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 530 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Next door, Fulton County has 106 data centers. 530 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 530 MW of capacity, 100% of it battery storage. 299,273 people live here, up 11.6% since 2020, 6th of 159 Georgia counties by population. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Who powers Cherokee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +530 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,452,488 | 15.49¢ | 39% |
| Cobb Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 200,601 | 11.41¢ | 30% |
| Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 181,600 | 11.54¢ | 26% |
| Amicalola Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 50,337 | 12.41¢ | 15% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 530 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McGrau Ford Battery Storage Facility | Georgia Power Co | Battery storage | 530 MW | 2026 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 73,868 | $56,610 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,919 | $85,699 | 1.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 759 | $77,243 | 1.42 |
| Power and communication line construction | 444 | $81,123 | 3.72 |
| Data processing and hosting | 70 | $127,014 | 0.30 |
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 Cherokee County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center moratorium extended by 180 days | In force | 2026-08 |
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cherokee County, Fulton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 299,273 | ▲ 13.5% | 530 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Bartow County | 120,800 | ▲ 16.6% | 3,588 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Cobb County | 793,345 | ▲ 2.1% | 2,863 MW | 6 MW | 15 | 1 |
| Dawson County | 35,365 | ▲ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Forsyth County | 282,805 | ▲ 16.2% | 131 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Fulton County | 1,098,791 | ▲ 5.1% | 59 MW | — | 106 | — |
| Gordon County | 61,701 | ▲ 6.2% | 5 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Pickens County | 37,167 | ▲ 21.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Cobb Electric Membership Corp, Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation, Amicalola Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Canton, GA in?
Canton is in Cherokee County, Georgia. About 40,778 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Woodstock, GA in?
Woodstock is in Cherokee County, Georgia. About 39,895 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Holly Springs, GA in?
Holly Springs is in Cherokee County, Georgia. About 20,261 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
1 operating plant with 530 MW of capacity. The largest is McGrau Ford Battery Storage Facility (530 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cherokee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fulton County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 73,868 jobs in 2025 against 65,071 in 2019 (+13.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,673 to 6,919.
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Cherokee County, 1 in force.