Oglethorpe County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Oglethorpe County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Oglethorpe County is home to Crawford. Construction employs 230, up 3.6% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Clarke County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,958 jobs in 2025, up 12.6% from 2019. 178 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Oglethorpe County
Oglethorpe County is home to Crawford.
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 Oglethorpe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,869 | 16,415 | ▲ 10.4% | 105th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,739 | 1,958 | ▲ 12.6% | 44th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,031 | $45,198 | ▲ 25.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 222 | 230 | ▲ 3.6% | 81st of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 178 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 178 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. 16,415 people live here, up 10.4% since 2020. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Oglethorpe 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 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Who powers Oglethorpe County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +178 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Oglethorpe 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% |
| 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 178 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timberland Solar | RWE Clean Energy | Solar | 140 MW | 2025 |
| Wolfskin Solar | Wolfskin Solar, LLC | Solar | 38 MW | 2024 |
The Oglethorpe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,958 | $45,198 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 230 | $61,925 | 2.22 |
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 Oglethorpe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Oglethorpe County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clarke County, Madison County.
Oglethorpe County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Oglethorpe County, Elbert 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglethorpe County | 16,415 | ▲ 12.6% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 129,921 | ▲ 5.0% | 8 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Elbert County | 20,072 | ▲ 3.6% | 668 MW | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 21,367 | ▲ 13.6% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 32,919 | ▲ 22.3% | 60 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Oconee County | 44,893 | ▲ 26.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Taliaferro County | 1,662 | ▼ 19.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wilkes County | 9,540 | ▼ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Oglethorpe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oglethorpe County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Oglethorpe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Jackson Electric Member Corp - (GA), Rayle Electric Membership Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Oglethorpe County?
2 operating plants with 178 MW of capacity. The largest is Timberland Solar (140 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Oglethorpe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Oglethorpe County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clarke County.
Is Oglethorpe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,958 jobs in 2025 against 1,739 in 2019 (+12.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 222 to 230.
Does Oglethorpe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Oglethorpe County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.