Irwin County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ocilla
Irwin County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Irwin County. Irwin County is home to Ocilla. Employers here counted 1,930 jobs in 2025, down 3.2% from 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Irwin 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. 9,020 people live here, down 6.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Irwin County
Irwin County is home to Ocilla.
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 Irwin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,646 | 9,020 | ▼ 6.5% | 129th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,993 | 1,930 | ▼ 3.2% | 126th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,200 | $45,239 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers Irwin County
Utilities with service territory in Irwin 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% |
| Satilla Rural Elec Member Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 54,115 | 13.99¢ | 11% |
| Irwin Electric Membership 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 Irwin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Irwin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,930 | $45,239 | 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 Irwin County
1 data center in Irwin County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Irwin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Irwin County, Tift 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irwin County | 9,020 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ben Hill County | 17,099 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Berrien County | 18,932 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee County | 44,407 | ● 0.0% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Tift County | 42,254 | ▲ 3.6% | 8 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Turner County | 8,983 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Irwin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Irwin County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Irwin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Satilla Rural Elec Member Corporation, Irwin Electric Membership Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Irwin County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Irwin County.
Is Irwin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,930 jobs in 2025 against 1,993 in 2019 (-3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Irwin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Irwin County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.