Cook County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Adel and Sparks
Cook 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. Construction employs 374, up 54.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Cook County is home to Adel, Sparks and Lenox. Next door, Lowndes County has 1 data center. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Cook 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. Employers here counted 4,540 jobs in 2025, up 1.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Cook County
Cook County is home to Adel, Sparks and Lenox.
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 Cook County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,238 | 18,232 | ▲ 5.8% | 101st of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,473 | 4,540 | ▲ 1.5% | 103rd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,845 | $45,972 | ▲ 40.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 242 | 374 | ▲ 54.5% | 25th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17 | 16 | ▼ 5.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 16, down 5.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $37,251 a year. 18,232 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020.
Who powers Cook County
Utilities with service territory in Cook 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% |
| Colquitt Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 65,743 | 13.20¢ | 6% |
| City of Adel- (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.
No operating power plant is located in Cook County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Cook County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,540 | $45,972 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 374 | $58,418 | 1.55 |
| Electrical contractors | 16 | $37,251 | 0.49 |
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 Cook County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cook County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Colquitt County, Lowndes County.
Cook County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Cook County, Lowndes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 18,232 | ▲ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Berrien County | 18,932 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Brooks County | 16,101 | ● 0.0% | 300 MW | — | — | — |
| Colquitt County | 47,438 | ▲ 6.2% | 21 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lowndes County | 122,867 | ▼ 0.5% | 193 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Tift County | 42,254 | ▲ 3.6% | 8 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Cook County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cook County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Cook County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Colquitt Electric Membership Corp, City of Adel- (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Cook County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cook County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lowndes County.
Is Cook County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,540 jobs in 2025 against 4,473 in 2019 (+1.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 242 to 374.
Does Cook County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cook County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.