Wilkinson County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gordon and Ivey
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wilkinson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wilkinson County is home to Gordon, Ivey, McIntyre and Irwinton. Employers here counted 2,876 jobs in 2025, down 23.6% from 2019. Next door, Washington County has 1 data center. Construction employs 262, down 3.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Wilkinson County
Wilkinson County is home to Gordon, Ivey, McIntyre and Irwinton.
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 Wilkinson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,832 | 8,650 | ▼ 2.1% | 135th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,764 | 2,876 | ▼ 23.6% | 156th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,340 | $59,915 | ▲ 48.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 272 | 262 | ▼ 3.7% | 84th of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Wilkinson 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. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 8,650 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Wilkinson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wilkinson 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% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (GA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,154 | 14.83¢ | 14% |
| Washington Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,200 | 14.68¢ | 15% |
| Oconee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,743 | 15.71¢ | 15% |
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 | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkinson DeFore (Safari Energy) | Safari Energy, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2020 |
| Wilkinson DeFore (Westbound) | Westbound Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Wilkinson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,876 | $59,915 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 262 | $57,937 | 1.72 |
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 Wilkinson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wilkinson County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide.
Wilkinson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Wilkinson County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkinson County | 8,650 | ▼ 23.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Baldwin County | 44,029 | ▲ 5.5% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Bleckley County | 12,866 | ▲ 23.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 9,310 | ▼ 8.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 29,171 | ▲ 1.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Laurens County | 51,041 | ▲ 8.6% | 86 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Twiggs County | 7,597 | ▼ 41.7% | 227 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Washington County | 19,453 | ▼ 0.4% | 1,645 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
More of Georgia
Wilkinson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wilkinson County, Georgia?
4 utilities have service territory in Wilkinson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, Tri-County Elec Member Corp (GA), Washington Elec Member Corp, Oconee Electric Member Corp. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Wilkinson County?
2 operating plants with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Wilkinson DeFore (Safari Energy) (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Wilkinson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wilkinson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washington County.
Is Wilkinson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,876 jobs in 2025 against 3,764 in 2019 (-23.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 272 to 262.
Does Wilkinson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wilkinson County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.