Stephens County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Toccoa
No data center or power plant project is on record in Stephens County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Stephens County is home to Toccoa. Next door, Habersham County has 1 data center. Construction employs 302, up 14.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 8,219 jobs in 2025, down 9.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 22 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Stephens County
Stephens County is home to Toccoa.
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 Stephens County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,827 | 27,854 | ▲ 3.8% | 72nd of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,031 | 8,219 | ▼ 9.0% | 142nd of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,930 | $50,177 | ▲ 25.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 265 | 302 | ▲ 14.0% | 71st of 97 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 19 | 18 | ▼ 5.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Stephens 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. Electrical contractors employ 18, down 5.3% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $39,929 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 27,854 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Stephens County
Utilities with service territory in Stephens 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% |
| Hart Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,297 | 13.15¢ | 31% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 22 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yonah | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 22 MW | 1925 |
The Stephens County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,219 | $50,177 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 302 | $58,794 | 0.69 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $39,929 | 0.30 |
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 Stephens County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stephens County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Franklin County.
Stephens County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Stephens 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County | 27,854 | ▼ 9.0% | 22 MW | — | — | — |
| Banks County | 21,273 | ▲ 9.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 25,948 | ▲ 3.1% | 61 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Habersham County | 50,416 | ▲ 9.6% | 117 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Oconee County SC | 83,775 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,360 MW | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Stephens County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stephens County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Stephens County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Habersham Electric Membership Corp, Hart Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Stephens County?
1 operating plant with 22 MW of capacity. The largest is Yonah (22 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Stephens County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stephens County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Habersham County.
Is Stephens County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,219 jobs in 2025 against 9,031 in 2019 (-9.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 265 to 302.
Does Stephens County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stephens County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.