Effingham County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rincon, Springfield and Guyton
The data center boom is not abstract in Effingham County: it is on the ground here. Construction employs 1,078, up 86.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 14,590 jobs in 2025, up 34.9% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 159 Georgia counties). The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Effingham County. Electrical contractors employ 97, up 73.2% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $55,038 a year. Effingham County is home to Rincon, Springfield and Guyton.
Cities and towns in Effingham County
Effingham County is home to Rincon, Springfield and Guyton.
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 Effingham County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,180 | 74,397 | ▲ 14.1% | 34th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,817 | 14,590 | ▲ 34.9% | 3rd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,858 | $56,077 | ▲ 30.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 577 | 1,078 | ▲ 86.8% | 11th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 56 | 97 | ▲ 73.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 14 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 178 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2,956 MW of capacity, 96% of it natural gas, the 4th largest fleet in Georgia. 178 MW has retired here since 2019, including McIntosh (coal, 178 MW, 2019). 14 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 74,397 people live here, up 14.1% since 2020. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Effingham 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 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019.
Who powers Effingham County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −164 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Effingham 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% |
| Excelsior Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,422 | 13.61¢ | 34% |
| Planters Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,385 | 14.53¢ | 13% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,834 MW | 96% |
| Petroleum | 90 MW | 3% |
| Solar | 32 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McIntosh Combined Cycle Facility | Georgia Power Co | Natural gas | 1,377 MW | 2005 |
| McIntosh | Georgia Power Co | Natural gas | 810 MW | 1994 |
| Bobby C Smith Jr Energy Facility | Oglethorpe Power Corporation | Natural gas | 597 MW | 2003 |
| Savannah River Mill | Georgia-Pacific Consr Prods LP-Savannah | Natural gas | 140 MW | 1986 |
| Rincon Solar I | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 18 MW | 2016 |
| McIntosh Solar | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 10 MW | 2024 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| McIntosh | Coal | 178 MW | 2019 |
The Effingham County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,590 | $56,077 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,078 | $68,047 | 1.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 97 | $55,038 | 0.92 |
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 Effingham County
1 data center in Effingham County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Effingham County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Effingham County, Jasper 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham County | 74,397 | ▲ 34.9% | 2,956 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Bryan County | 52,062 | ▲ 47.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Bulloch County | 86,949 | ▲ 11.1% | 15 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
| Chatham County | 311,855 | ▲ 8.7% | 166 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Hampton County SC | 18,174 | ▼ 0.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Jasper County SC | 38,533 | ▲ 12.6% | 1,158 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Screven County | 14,408 | ▼ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Effingham County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Effingham County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Effingham County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Excelsior Electric Member Corp, Planters Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Rincon, GA in?
Rincon is in Effingham County, Georgia. About 11,726 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Effingham County?
7 operating plants with 2,956 MW of capacity. The largest is McIntosh Combined Cycle Facility (1,377 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Effingham County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Effingham County.
Is Effingham County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,590 jobs in 2025 against 10,817 in 2019 (+34.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 577 to 1,078.
Does Effingham County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Effingham County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.