Telfair County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to McRae-Helena
No data center or power plant project is on record in Telfair County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 9.1% in 2019. Telfair County is home to McRae-Helena and Lumber City. Employers here counted 2,120 jobs in 2025, down 20.0% from 2019. Next door, Coffee County has 1 data center. 11,195 people live here, down 10.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Telfair County
Telfair County is home to McRae-Helena and Lumber City.
- Milan also extends into Dodge 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 Telfair County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,449 | 11,195 | ▼ 10.1% | 119th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,650 | 2,120 | ▼ 20.0% | 155th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,522 | $43,800 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 9.1% | 4.8% | ▼ 4.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Telfair 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.
Who powers Telfair County
Utilities with service territory in Telfair 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% |
| Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
| Little Ocmulgee El Member Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telfair Thompson | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
The Telfair County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,120 | $43,800 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 91 | $78,106 | 0.81 |
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 Telfair County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Telfair County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Telfair County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Telfair County, Wilcox 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telfair County | 11,195 | ▼ 20.0% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Ben Hill County | 17,099 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee County | 44,407 | ● 0.0% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Dodge County | 19,663 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Jeff Davis County | 15,219 | ▲ 2.8% | 412 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheeler County | 7,570 | ▼ 3.5% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Wilcox County | 8,797 | ▲ 8.7% | 80 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
More of Georgia
Telfair County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Telfair County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Telfair County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Ocmulgee Electric Member Corp, Little Ocmulgee El Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Telfair County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Telfair Thompson (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Telfair County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Telfair County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Coffee County.
Is Telfair County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,120 jobs in 2025 against 2,650 in 2019 (-20.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Telfair County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Telfair County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.