Dawson County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dawsonville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Dawson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 93, up 126.8% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $62,576 a year. Construction employs 593, up 71.4% since 2019. Dawson County is home to Dawsonville. Employers here counted 11,498 jobs in 2025, up 21.5% from 2019. 35,365 people live here, up 30.7% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Dawson County
Dawson County is home to Dawsonville.
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 Dawson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,062 | 35,365 | ▲ 30.7% | 57th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,460 | 11,498 | ▲ 21.5% | 17th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,676 | $43,815 | ▲ 34.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 346 | 593 | ▲ 71.4% | 15th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 41 | 93 | ▲ 126.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.9% | ● 0.0pts | — |
Next door, Forsyth County has 1 data center. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Dawson 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 2.9% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Who powers Dawson County
Utilities with service territory in Dawson 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% |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Dawson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dawson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,498 | $43,815 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 593 | $67,851 | 0.97 |
| Electrical contractors | 93 | $62,576 | 1.12 |
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 Dawson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dawson County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Cherokee County, Fannin County, Hall County.
Dawson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Dawson County, Cherokee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County | 35,365 | ▲ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County | 299,273 | ▲ 13.5% | 530 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Fannin County | 26,111 | ▲ 14.9% | 24 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Forsyth County | 282,805 | ▲ 16.2% | 131 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Gilmer County | 33,894 | ▲ 20.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Hall County | 226,568 | ▲ 15.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Lumpkin County | 36,178 | ▲ 15.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pickens County | 37,167 | ▲ 21.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Dawson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dawson County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Dawson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation, Amicalola Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Dawson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dawson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Forsyth County.
Is Dawson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,498 jobs in 2025 against 9,460 in 2019 (+21.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 346 to 593.
Does Dawson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dawson County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.