Murray County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chatsworth
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Murray County. Electrical contractors employ 31, up 244.4% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $38,279 a year. Murray County is home to Chatsworth and Eton. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Data center moratorium extended to July 7, 2027”. Its power plants have 1,702 MW of capacity, 70% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Georgia. Construction employs 168, up 7.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Murray County
Murray County is home to Chatsworth and Eton.
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 Murray County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 39,996 | 41,607 | ▲ 4.0% | 52nd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,250 | 8,160 | ▼ 1.1% | 117th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,335 | $46,468 | ▲ 27.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 168 | ▲ 7.7% | 79th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9 | 31 | ▲ 244.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.3% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Murray 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. Employers here counted 8,160 jobs in 2025, down 1.1% from 2019. 41,607 people live here, up 4.0% since 2020.
Who powers Murray County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Murray 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% |
| North Georgia Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 90,182 | 12.18¢ | 33% |
| Central Georgia El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 61,155 | 12.24¢ | 14% |
| Amicalola Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 50,337 | 12.41¢ | 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,192 MW | 70% |
| Hydro | 500 MW | 29% |
| Solar | 10 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas A Smith Energy Facility | Oglethorpe Power Corporation | Natural gas | 1,192 MW | 2002 |
| Carters | USCE-Mobile District | Hydro | 500 MW | 1975 |
| Dalton 2 | Georgia Power Co | Solar | 6 MW | 2014 |
| Murray Treadwell Farms | Safari Energy, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2020 |
The Murray County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,160 | $46,468 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 168 | $44,871 | 0.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 31 | $38,279 | 0.53 |
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 Murray County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center moratorium extended to July 7, 2027 | In force | 2026-07 |
Murray County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Murray County, Whitfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County | 41,607 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,702 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Bradley County TN | 115,465 | ▼ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Fannin County | 26,111 | ▲ 14.9% | 24 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Gilmer County | 33,894 | ▲ 20.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Gordon County | 61,701 | ▲ 6.2% | 5 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Polk County TN | 18,592 | ▲ 15.1% | 164 MW | — | — | — |
| Whitfield County | 106,212 | ▼ 0.2% | 1 MW | — | 4 | — |
More of Georgia
Murray County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Murray County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Murray County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, North Georgia Elec Member Corp, Central Georgia El Member Corp, Amicalola Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Murray County?
4 operating plants with 1,702 MW of capacity. The largest is Thomas A Smith Energy Facility (1,192 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Murray County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Murray County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Whitfield County.
Is Murray County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,160 jobs in 2025 against 8,250 in 2019 (-1.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 156 to 168.
Does Murray County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Murray County, 1 in force.