Cobb County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mableton and Marietta, and the communities of Mableton
Cobb County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 15 data centers in Cobb County, 6% of Georgia's total. Cobb County is home to Mableton, Marietta, Smyrna and Kennesaw, plus the unincorporated community of Mableton. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “180-day data center moratorium (unincorporated areas)”. 6 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Cobb Electric Membership Corporation (natural gas). 6 MW of it is already under construction or built. Electrical contractors employ 6,425, up 39.6% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $98,010 a year.
Cities and towns in Cobb County
Cobb County is home to Mableton, Marietta, Smyrna and Kennesaw, plus the unincorporated community of Mableton.
- Austell also extends into Douglas County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mableton, Fair Oaks, Kennesaw State University, Vinings.
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 Cobb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 766,385 | 793,345 | ▲ 3.5% | 3rd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 373,989 | 381,663 | ▲ 2.1% | 102nd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $60,862 | $79,377 | ▲ 30.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 28,663 | 33,173 | ▲ 15.7% | 70th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,601 | 6,425 | ▲ 39.6% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 577 | 257 | ▼ 55.5% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,066 | 1,780 | ▲ 67.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 14 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 6 MW | 0% of today's fleet | 18th of 18 by size |
Construction employs 33,173, up 15.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 2,863 MW of capacity, 97% of it natural gas, the 6th largest fleet in Georgia. 14 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Employers here counted 381,663 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Cobb County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. 793,345 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020, 3rd of 159 Georgia counties by population. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019.
Who powers Cobb County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +14 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Cobb 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% |
| GreyStone Power Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 139,028 | 12.22¢ | 21% |
| City of Marietta - (GA) | Municipal | Bundled | 36,273 | 11.93¢ | 63% |
| City of Acworth - (GA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,766 MW | 97% |
| Petroleum | 85 MW | 3% |
| Battery storage | 11 MW | 0% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack McDonough | Georgia Power Co | Natural gas | 2,848 MW | 1971 |
| Allatoona Substation #10 | Cobb Electric Membership Corporation | Battery storage | 10 MW | 2026 |
| Solar BESS Hybrid | Cobb Electric Membership Corporation | Natural gas | 4 MW | 2020 |
| Riverwood 100 Building | Highwoods Properties | Petroleum | 1 MW | 1989 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar BESS Hybrid | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Cobb Electric Membership Corporation |
| Solar BESS Hybrid | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Cobb Electric Membership Corporation |
| Solar BESS Hybrid | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Cobb Electric Membership Corporation |
The Cobb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 381,663 | $79,377 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 33,173 | $100,554 | 1.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 6,425 | $98,010 | 2.33 |
| Power and communication line construction | 257 | $78,411 | 0.42 |
| Data processing and hosting | 1,780 | $118,334 | 1.50 |
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 Cobb County
15 data centers in Cobb County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 180-day data center moratorium (unincorporated areas) | In force | 2026-02 |
Cobb County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Cobb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb County | 793,345 | ▲ 2.1% | 2,863 MW | 6 MW | 15 | 1 |
| Bartow County | 120,800 | ▲ 16.6% | 3,588 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Cherokee County | 299,273 | ▲ 13.5% | 530 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Douglas County | 154,293 | ▲ 9.1% | 3 MW | — | 23 | 1 |
| Fulton County | 1,098,791 | ▲ 5.1% | 59 MW | — | 106 | — |
| Paulding County | 190,996 | ▲ 22.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Georgia
Cobb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cobb County, Georgia?
5 utilities have service territory in Cobb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Cobb Electric Membership Corp, GreyStone Power Corporation, City of Marietta - (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Mableton, GA in?
Mableton is in Cobb County, Georgia. About 78,820 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Marietta, GA in?
Marietta is in Cobb County, Georgia. About 63,574 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Smyrna, GA in?
Smyrna is in Cobb County, Georgia. About 57,513 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cobb County?
4 operating plants with 2,863 MW of capacity. The largest is Jack McDonough (2,848 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Cobb County?
6 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 6 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cobb Electric Membership Corporation.
Are there data centers in Cobb County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 15 data centers in Cobb County.
Is Cobb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 381,663 jobs in 2025 against 373,989 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 28,663 to 33,173.
Does Cobb County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Cobb County, 1 in force.