Rabun County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clayton
No data center or power plant project is on record in Rabun County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 62, up 87.9% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $43,847 a year. Construction employs 458, up 39.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Rabun County is home to Clayton and Mountain City. Next door, Habersham County has 1 data center. 18 MW has retired here since 2019, including Multitrade Rabun Gap, LLC (other technologies, 18 MW, 2025).
Cities and towns in Rabun County
Rabun County is home to Clayton and Mountain City.
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 Rabun County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,926 | 17,764 | ▲ 5.0% | 102nd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,353 | 5,714 | ▲ 6.7% | 69th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,648 | $43,607 | ▲ 37.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 328 | 458 | ▲ 39.6% | 38th of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 62 | ▲ 87.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 18 MW | — |
Employers here counted 5,714 jobs in 2025, up 6.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 27 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Rabun 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. 17,764 people live here, up 5.0% since 2020.
Who powers Rabun County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rabun 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% |
| Habersham Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,011 | 14.02¢ | 17% |
| Haywood Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 433 | 17.33¢ | 1% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 27 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terrora | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 16 MW | 1925 |
| Burton Dam | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 6 MW | 1927 |
| Nacoochee | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 5 MW | 1926 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multitrade Rabun Gap, LLC | Other technologies | 18 MW | 2025 |
The Rabun County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,714 | $43,607 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 458 | $52,771 | 1.51 |
| Electrical contractors | 62 | $43,847 | 1.50 |
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 Rabun County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rabun County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clay County, Jackson County.
Rabun County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Rabun County, Oconee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabun County | 17,764 | ▲ 6.7% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County NC | 12,239 | ▲ 9.2% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Habersham County | 50,416 | ▲ 9.6% | 117 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Jackson County NC | 45,039 | ▲ 36.6% | 51 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Macon County NC | 39,232 | ▲ 10.7% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Oconee County SC | 83,775 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,360 MW | — | — | — |
| Towns County | 13,285 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Rabun County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rabun County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Rabun County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Habersham Electric Membership Corp, Haywood Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Rabun County?
3 operating plants with 27 MW of capacity. The largest is Terrora (16 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Rabun County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rabun County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Habersham County.
Is Rabun County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,714 jobs in 2025 against 5,353 in 2019 (+6.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 328 to 458.
Does Rabun County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rabun County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.