Jackson County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jefferson, Commerce and Hoschton
The build-out shows up in Jackson County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 301, up 254.1% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $127,479 a year. Employers here counted 43,619 jobs in 2025, up 51.4% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 159 Georgia counties). Construction employs 1,814, up 58.0% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jackson County. Jackson County is home to Jefferson, Commerce, Hoschton and most of Braselton (5,975 of its 18,496 residents).
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Jefferson, Commerce, Hoschton and most of Braselton (5,975 of its 18,496 residents).
- Braselton also extends into Gwinnett County, Hall County, Barrow County.
- Maysville also extends into Banks County.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 76,765 | 99,265 | ▲ 29.3% | 29th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 28,807 | 43,619 | ▲ 51.4% | 1st of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,948 | $53,747 | ▲ 38.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,148 | 1,814 | ▲ 58.0% | 19th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 301 | ▲ 254.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
99,265 people live here, up 29.3% since 2020. Next door, Gwinnett County has 12 data centers. Its power plants have 919 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Jackson 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 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Who powers Jackson County
Utilities with service territory in Jackson 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% |
| Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 239,558 | 11.38¢ | 28% |
| City of Commerce - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 919 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dahlberg | Southern Power Co | Natural gas | 919 MW | 2000 |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 43,619 | $53,747 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,814 | $84,769 | 0.78 |
| Electrical contractors | 301 | $127,479 | 0.96 |
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 Jackson County
1 data center in Jackson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Jackson County, Gwinnett 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 99,265 | ▲ 51.4% | 919 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Banks County | 21,273 | ▲ 9.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Barrow County | 99,773 | ▲ 23.1% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 129,921 | ▲ 5.0% | 8 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Gwinnett County | 1,018,099 | ▲ 7.8% | 11 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Hall County | 226,568 | ▲ 15.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Madison County | 32,919 | ▲ 22.3% | 60 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Oconee County | 44,893 | ▲ 26.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA), City of Commerce - (GA). The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Jefferson, GA in?
Jefferson is in Jackson County, Georgia. About 17,185 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jackson County?
1 operating plant with 919 MW of capacity. The largest is Dahlberg (919 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jackson County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 43,619 jobs in 2025 against 28,807 in 2019 (+51.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,148 to 1,814.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.