Clay County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Clay 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. Clay County is home to Fort Gaines. Employers here counted 581 jobs in 2025, down 16.2% from 2019. Next door, Early County has 1 data center. 106 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 274 MW of capacity, 61% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Clay County
Clay County is home to Fort Gaines.
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 Clay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,830 | 2,815 | ▼ 0.5% | 155th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 693 | 581 | ▼ 16.2% | 153rd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,510 | $38,590 | ▲ 26.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 5.9% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 106 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Clay County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 5.9% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. 2,815 people live here, down 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Clay County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +106 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clay 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% |
| Diverse Power Incorporated | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,998 | 16.75¢ | 19% |
| Three Notch Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,695 | 16.94¢ | 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 168 MW | 61% |
| Solar | 106 MW | 39% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter F George | USCE-Mobile District | Hydro | 168 MW | 1963 |
| SR Clay, LLC | SR Clay, LLC | Solar | 106 MW | 2022 |
The Clay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 581 | $38,590 | 1.00 |
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 Clay County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clay County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Clay County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clay County, Early 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 2,815 | ▼ 16.2% | 274 MW | — | — | — |
| Barbour County AL | 24,607 | ▼ 6.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 5,413 | ▲ 18.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Early County | 10,455 | ▼ 15.8% | 194 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Henry County AL | 18,394 | ▲ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Quitman County | 2,254 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 6,156 | ▼ 14.5% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Clay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clay County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Clay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Diverse Power Incorporated, Three Notch Elec Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clay County?
2 operating plants with 274 MW of capacity. The largest is Walter F George (168 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Clay County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clay County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Early County.
Is Clay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 581 jobs in 2025 against 693 in 2019 (-16.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Clay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clay County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.