Schley County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ellaville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Schley County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Schley County is home to Ellaville. Employers here counted 1,224 jobs in 2025, up 22.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Schley 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. 4,593 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Schley County
Schley County is home to Ellaville.
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 Schley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,537 | 4,593 | ▲ 1.2% | 152nd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 996 | 1,224 | ▲ 22.9% | 12th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,171 | $46,393 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
Who powers Schley County
Utilities with service territory in Schley 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% |
| Flint Electric Membership Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 83,739 | 13.57¢ | 26% |
| Sumter Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,049 | 14.14¢ | 29% |
| City of Ellaville | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Schley County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Schley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,224 | $46,393 | 1.00 |
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 Schley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Schley County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Schley County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Schley County, Taylor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schley County | 4,593 | ▲ 22.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Macon County | 11,756 | ▼ 6.4% | 157 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 7,676 | ▲ 17.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Sumter County | 28,801 | ▼ 12.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Taylor County | 7,818 | ▼ 13.6% | 414 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Schley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Schley County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Schley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Flint Electric Membership Corp, Sumter Electric Member Corp, City of Ellaville. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Schley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Schley County.
Is Schley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,224 jobs in 2025 against 996 in 2019 (+22.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Schley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Schley County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.