Newton County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Covington, Oxford and Porterdale
Newton County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 9 data centers in Newton County, 3% of Georgia's total. Electrical contractors employ 517, up 67.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $81,172 a year. Newton County is home to Covington, Oxford, Porterdale and Newborn. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Data center moratorium (extended 180 days)”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Newton County Data Center Application Moratorium.
Cities and towns in Newton County
Newton County is home to Covington, Oxford, Porterdale and Newborn.
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 Newton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 112,902 | 125,583 | ▲ 11.2% | 21st of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,804 | 27,786 | ▲ 7.7% | 66th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,062 | $58,554 | ▲ 36.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,587 | 2,001 | ▲ 26.1% | 58th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 308 | 517 | ▲ 67.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
Construction employs 2,001, up 26.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 27,786 jobs in 2025, up 7.7% from 2019. 125,583 people live here, up 11.2% since 2020. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Newton County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers Newton County
Utilities with service territory in Newton 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% |
| Walton Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 131,915 | 12.99¢ | 47% |
| Snapping Shoals El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 105,253 | 12.37¢ | 13% |
| Central Georgia El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 61,155 | 12.24¢ | 14% |
| City of Covington - (GA) | Municipal | Bundled | 12,459 | 14.57¢ | 32% |
| City of Mansfield - (GA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Oxford - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Newton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Newton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 27,786 | $58,554 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,001 | $76,115 | 1.36 |
| Electrical contractors | 517 | $81,172 | 2.58 |
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 Newton County
9 data centers in Newton County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center moratorium (extended 180 days) | In force | 2026-02 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton County Data Center Application Moratorium | moratorium in force | — |
Newton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Newton County, Henry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton County | 125,583 | ▲ 7.7% | — | — | 9 | 1 |
| Butts County | 27,218 | ▲ 19.3% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Henry County | 264,922 | ▲ 13.9% | — | — | 8 | — |
| Jasper County | 17,632 | ▲ 6.0% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Morgan County | 22,095 | ▲ 20.7% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Rockdale County | 98,416 | ▲ 7.6% | — | — | 4 | 2 |
| Walton County | 112,696 | ▲ 14.1% | 1,326 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Newton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Newton County, Georgia?
7 utilities have service territory in Newton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Walton Electric Member Corp, Snapping Shoals El Member Corp, Central Georgia El Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Covington, GA in?
Covington is in Newton County, Georgia. About 17,477 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Newton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 9 data centers in Newton County.
Is Newton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 27,786 jobs in 2025 against 25,804 in 2019 (+7.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,587 to 2,001.
Does Newton County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Newton County, 1 in force.