Hancock County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sparta
Hancock 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. Hancock County is home to Sparta. 80 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Drawhorn Solar, LLC (solar). Next door, Washington County has 1 data center. Its power plants have 321 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 5.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hancock County
Hancock County is home to Sparta.
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 Hancock County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,711 | 8,682 | ▼ 0.3% | 133rd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,465 | 1,437 | ▼ 1.9% | 121st of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,147 | $45,864 | ▲ 23.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.7% | 5.1% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 80 MW | 25% of today's fleet | 13th of 18 by size |
Employers here counted 1,437 jobs in 2025, down 1.9% from 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Hancock 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. 8,682 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Hancock County
Utilities with service territory in Hancock 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% |
| Rayle Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,369 | 14.42¢ | 22% |
| Washington Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,200 | 14.68¢ | 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 321 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace Dam | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 321 MW | 1979 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drawhorn Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Drawhorn Solar, LLC |
The Hancock County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,437 | $45,864 | 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 Hancock County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hancock County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Hancock County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hancock County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 8,682 | ▼ 1.9% | 321 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Baldwin County | 44,029 | ▲ 5.5% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Glascock County | 3,141 | ▼ 4.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 21,367 | ▲ 13.6% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 23,722 | ▲ 11.1% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Taliaferro County | 1,662 | ▼ 19.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 5,269 | ▼ 11.8% | 80 MW | 107 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 19,453 | ▼ 0.4% | 1,645 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Hancock County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hancock County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Hancock County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Rayle Electric Membership Corp, Washington Elec Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hancock County?
1 operating plant with 321 MW of capacity. The largest is Wallace Dam (321 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Hancock County?
80 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Drawhorn Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Hancock County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hancock County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washington County.
Is Hancock County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,437 jobs in 2025 against 1,465 in 2019 (-1.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hancock County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hancock County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.