Clayton County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Forest Park, Riverdale and Lovejoy
The data center boom is not abstract in Clayton County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Clayton County. Clayton County is home to Forest Park, Riverdale, Lovejoy and Morrow. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Clayton County data center moratorium”. Construction employs 3,862, up 9.9% since 2019. Employers here counted 129,649 jobs in 2025, up 5.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Clayton County
Clayton County is home to Forest Park, Riverdale, Lovejoy and Morrow.
- College Park also extends into Fulton County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bonanza, Conley, Irondale.
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 Clayton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 299,345 | 297,471 | ▼ 0.6% | 7th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 123,496 | 129,649 | ▲ 5.0% | 84th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $59,533 | $80,234 | ▲ 34.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,514 | 3,862 | ▲ 9.9% | 75th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 668 | 207 | ▼ 69.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Clayton 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 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 297,471 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020, 7th of 159 Georgia counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 207, down 69.0% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $80,846 a year.
Who powers Clayton County
Utilities with service territory in Clayton 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% |
| Coweta-Fayette El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 83,001 | 12.80¢ | 18% |
| Central Georgia El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 61,155 | 12.24¢ | 14% |
| City of College Park - (GA) | Municipal | Bundled | 7,924 | 12.84¢ | 86% |
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 Clayton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Clayton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 129,649 | $80,234 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,862 | $89,265 | 0.56 |
| Electrical contractors | 207 | $80,846 | 0.22 |
| Power and communication line construction | 1,012 | $99,470 | 4.83 |
| Data processing and hosting | 128 | $72,728 | 0.32 |
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 Clayton County
4 data centers in Clayton County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton County data center moratorium | In force | 2025-09 |
Clayton County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clayton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton County | 297,471 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| DeKalb County | 774,394 | ▲ 3.0% | 7 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Fayette County | 125,156 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | 8 | — |
| Fulton County | 1,098,791 | ▲ 5.1% | 59 MW | — | 106 | — |
| Henry County | 264,922 | ▲ 13.9% | — | — | 8 | — |
| Spalding County | 70,775 | ▲ 4.8% | 7 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
More of Georgia
Clayton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clayton County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Clayton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Coweta-Fayette El Member Corp, Central Georgia El Member Corp, City of College Park - (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Forest Park, GA in?
Forest Park is in Clayton County, Georgia. About 19,168 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Riverdale, GA in?
Riverdale is in Clayton County, Georgia. About 14,637 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Lovejoy, GA in?
Lovejoy is in Clayton County, Georgia. About 12,929 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Clayton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Clayton County.
Is Clayton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 129,649 jobs in 2025 against 123,496 in 2019 (+5.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,514 to 3,862.
Does Clayton County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Clayton County, 1 in force.