DeKalb County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stonecrest, Brookhaven and Dunwoody
DeKalb County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in DeKalb County. DeKalb County is home to Stonecrest, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and part of Atlanta (43,340 of its 529,110 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Data center moratorium, repeatedly extended”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Shadowbox Studios data center. Construction employs 9,789, down 11.8% since 2019.
Cities and towns in DeKalb County
DeKalb County is home to Stonecrest, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and part of Atlanta (43,340 of its 529,110 residents).
- Atlanta also extends into Fulton County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belvedere Park, Candler-McAfee, Druid Hills, Gresham Park, North Decatur, North Druid Hills, Panthersville, Redan, Scottdale.
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 DeKalb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 764,585 | 774,394 | ▲ 1.3% | 4th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 303,327 | 312,426 | ▲ 3.0% | 98th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $59,102 | $79,868 | ▲ 35.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,096 | 9,789 | ▼ 11.8% | 91st of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,376 | 978 | ▼ 28.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 315 | 180 | ▼ 42.9% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 842 | 1,034 | ▲ 22.8% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,153 | 1,285 | ▲ 11.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 77% of it petroleum. Employers here counted 312,426 jobs in 2025, up 3.0% from 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving DeKalb 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 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 774,394 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020, 4th of 159 Georgia counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 978, down 28.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $74,491 a year.
Who powers DeKalb County
Utilities with service territory in DeKalb 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% |
| Walton Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 131,915 | 12.99¢ | 47% |
| Snapping Shoals El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 105,253 | 12.37¢ | 13% |
| City of Norcross- (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 77% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 23% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emory Decatur Hospital | DeKalb Regional Health System | Petroleum | 4 MW | 1991 |
| Emory Hillandale Hospital | DeKalb Regional Health System | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2005 |
| Laredo Bus Facility Solar Canopies | MARTA | Solar | 1 MW | 2012 |
| Hickory Ridge Landfill Solar Project | BFI Waste Systems of GA, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2011 |
The DeKalb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 312,426 | $79,868 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,789 | $90,874 | 0.59 |
| Electrical contractors | 978 | $74,491 | 0.43 |
| Power and communication line construction | 180 | $78,491 | 0.36 |
| Electric utilities | 1,034 | $153,069 | 1.22 |
| Data processing and hosting | 1,285 | $105,701 | 1.32 |
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 DeKalb County
5 data centers in DeKalb County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center moratorium, repeatedly extended | In force | 2026-06 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadowbox Studios data center | denied | — |
DeKalb County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border DeKalb 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | 774,394 | ▲ 3.0% | 7 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Clayton County | 297,471 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| Fulton County | 1,098,791 | ▲ 5.1% | 59 MW | — | 106 | — |
| Gwinnett County | 1,018,099 | ▲ 7.8% | 11 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Henry County | 264,922 | ▲ 13.9% | — | — | 8 | — |
| Rockdale County | 98,416 | ▲ 7.6% | — | — | 4 | 2 |
More of Georgia
DeKalb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in DeKalb County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in DeKalb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Walton Electric Member Corp, Snapping Shoals El Member Corp, City of Norcross- (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Stonecrest, GA in?
Stonecrest is in DeKalb County, Georgia. About 61,337 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Brookhaven, GA in?
Brookhaven is in DeKalb County, Georgia. About 59,643 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Dunwoody, GA in?
Dunwoody is in DeKalb County, Georgia. About 51,792 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in DeKalb County?
4 operating plants with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Emory Decatur Hospital (4 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in DeKalb County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in DeKalb County.
Is DeKalb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 312,426 jobs in 2025 against 303,327 in 2019 (+3.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 11,096 to 9,789.
Does DeKalb County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for DeKalb County, 1 in force.