Forsyth County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cumming
Forsyth County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Forsyth County. Forsyth County is home to Cumming. Electrical contractors employ 1,117, up 46.8% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $86,673 a year. Construction employs 7,816, up 20.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 90,199 jobs in 2025, up 16.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Forsyth County
Forsyth County is home to Cumming.
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 Forsyth County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 252,877 | 282,805 | ▲ 11.8% | 8th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 77,639 | 90,199 | ▲ 16.2% | 30th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,928 | $66,369 | ▲ 30.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,516 | 7,816 | ▲ 20.0% | 64th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 761 | 1,117 | ▲ 46.8% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 81 | 287 | ▲ 254.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.8% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
282,805 people live here, up 11.8% since 2020, 8th of 159 Georgia counties by population. Its power plants have 131 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Forsyth 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 2.8% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Who powers Forsyth County
Utilities with service territory in Forsyth 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% |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 131 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buford | USCE-Mobile District | Hydro | 131 MW | 2003 |
The Forsyth County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 90,199 | $66,369 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,816 | $87,391 | 1.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,117 | $86,673 | 1.72 |
| Power and communication line construction | 287 | $70,367 | 1.97 |
| Data processing and hosting | 158 | $133,745 | 0.56 |
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 Forsyth County
1 data center in Forsyth County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Forsyth County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Forsyth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County | 282,805 | ▲ 16.2% | 131 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cherokee County | 299,273 | ▲ 13.5% | 530 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Dawson County | 35,365 | ▲ 21.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Fulton County | 1,098,791 | ▲ 5.1% | 59 MW | — | 106 | — |
| Gwinnett County | 1,018,099 | ▲ 7.8% | 11 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Hall County | 226,568 | ▲ 15.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Georgia
Forsyth County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Forsyth County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Forsyth County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation, Amicalola Electric Member Corp, City of Norcross- (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cumming, GA in?
Cumming is in Forsyth County, Georgia. About 12,494 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Forsyth County?
1 operating plant with 131 MW of capacity. The largest is Buford (131 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Forsyth County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Forsyth County.
Is Forsyth County adding jobs?
Employers counted 90,199 jobs in 2025 against 77,639 in 2019 (+16.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 6,516 to 7,816.
Does Forsyth County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Forsyth County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.