Dodge County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Eastman and Chester
Dodge 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. Dodge County is home to Eastman and Chester. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Dodge 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. Employers here counted 5,013 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. 19,663 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Dodge County
Dodge County is home to Eastman and Chester.
- Milan also extends into Telfair County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Empire.
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 Dodge County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,949 | 19,663 | ▼ 1.4% | 95th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,028 | 5,013 | ▼ 0.3% | 112th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,351 | $42,453 | ▲ 27.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 3.3% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
Who powers Dodge County
Utilities with service territory in Dodge 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% |
| Oconee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,743 | 15.71¢ | 15% |
| Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
| Little Ocmulgee El Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Dodge County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dodge County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,013 | $42,453 | 1.00 |
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 Dodge County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dodge County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Dodge County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dodge County, Laurens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County | 19,663 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Bleckley County | 12,866 | ▲ 23.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Laurens County | 51,041 | ▲ 8.6% | 86 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 10,172 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Telfair County | 11,195 | ▼ 20.0% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 7,570 | ▼ 3.5% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Wilcox County | 8,797 | ▲ 8.7% | 80 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
More of Georgia
Dodge County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dodge County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Dodge County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Oconee Electric Member Corp, Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp, Little Ocmulgee El Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Dodge County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dodge County.
Is Dodge County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,013 jobs in 2025 against 5,028 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Dodge County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dodge County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.