Oconee County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Watkinsville and Bogart
No data center or power plant project is on record in Oconee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 981, up 46.4% since 2019. Oconee County is home to Watkinsville, most of Bogart (1,220 of its 1,326 residents) and North High Shoals. Employers here counted 17,237 jobs in 2025, up 26.4% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 159 Georgia counties). Next door, Clarke County has 1 data center. Electrical contractors employ 123, at an average $64,658 a year.
Cities and towns in Oconee County
Oconee County is home to Watkinsville, most of Bogart (1,220 of its 1,326 residents) and North High Shoals.
- Bogart also extends into Clarke 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 Oconee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 42,004 | 44,893 | ▲ 6.9% | 48th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,638 | 17,237 | ▲ 26.4% | 6th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,298 | $53,685 | ▲ 30.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 670 | 981 | ▲ 46.4% | 33rd of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 2.6% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Oconee 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. 44,893 people live here, up 6.9% since 2020. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019.
Who powers Oconee County
Utilities with service territory in Oconee 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% |
| Walton Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 131,915 | 12.99¢ | 47% |
| Rayle Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,369 | 14.42¢ | 22% |
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 Oconee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Oconee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,237 | $53,685 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 981 | $72,018 | 1.07 |
| Electrical contractors | 123 | $64,658 | 0.99 |
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 Oconee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Oconee County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clarke County.
Oconee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Oconee County, Walton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee County | 44,893 | ▲ 26.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Barrow County | 99,773 | ▲ 23.1% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 129,921 | ▲ 5.0% | 8 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Greene County | 21,367 | ▲ 13.6% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 99,265 | ▲ 51.4% | 919 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Morgan County | 22,095 | ▲ 20.7% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Oglethorpe County | 16,415 | ▲ 12.6% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
| Walton County | 112,696 | ▲ 14.1% | 1,326 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Oconee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oconee County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Oconee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA), Walton Electric Member Corp, Rayle Electric Membership Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Oconee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Oconee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clarke County.
Is Oconee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,237 jobs in 2025 against 13,638 in 2019 (+26.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 670 to 981.
Does Oconee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Oconee County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.