Hamilton County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carmel, Clay Township and Fishers
Hamilton County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Hamilton County. Hamilton County is home to Carmel, Clay Township, Fishers and Noblesville. Construction employs 10,134, up 20.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 167,841 jobs in 2025, up 16.2% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 92 Indiana counties). Electrical contractors employ 1,209, up 10.0% since 2019 against up 34.8% statewide, at an average $74,442 a year.
Cities and towns in Hamilton County
Hamilton County is home to Carmel, Clay Township, Fishers and Noblesville.
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 Hamilton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 349,011 | 387,036 | ▲ 10.9% | 4th of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 144,447 | 167,841 | ▲ 16.2% | 6th of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $55,215 | $72,332 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,442 | 10,134 | ▲ 20.0% | 34th of 68 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,099 | 1,209 | ▲ 10.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 200 | 314 | ▲ 57.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 284 MW of capacity, 99% of it natural gas. 387,036 people live here, up 10.9% since 2020, 4th of 92 Indiana counties by population. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC is the largest utility serving Hamilton County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.75¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Who powers Hamilton County
Utilities with service territory in Hamilton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Indiana, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 796,265 | 12.75¢ | 31% |
| AES Indiana | Investor Owned | Bundled | 469,499 | 13.75¢ | 14% |
| Indiana Michigan Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 422,062 | 16.31¢ | 28% |
| Boone County Rural EMC | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,371 | 16.51¢ | 48% |
| NineStar Connect | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,770 | 15.68¢ | 15% |
| City of Frankfort - (IN) | Municipal | Bundled | 7,820 | 12.04¢ | 16% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 283 MW | 99% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noblesville | Duke Energy Indiana, LLC | Natural gas | 283 MW | 1950 |
| Sheridan School Corporation Solar | Johnson Melloh Solutions | Solar | 2 MW | 2016 |
The Hamilton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 167,841 | $72,332 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 10,134 | $89,724 | 1.14 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,209 | $74,442 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 314 | $134,075 | 0.60 |
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 Hamilton County
2 data centers in Hamilton County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hamilton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Hamilton County, Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 387,036 | ▲ 16.2% | 284 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Boone County | 80,689 | ▲ 51.8% | — | — | 2 | 3 |
| Clinton County | 33,322 | ▲ 4.3% | 195 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Hancock County | 90,969 | ▲ 16.8% | 3 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Madison County | 135,088 | ▲ 1.4% | 215 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Marion County | 992,196 | ▲ 2.9% | 1,513 MW | — | 19 | 1 |
| Tipton County | 15,319 | ▼ 15.4% | 208 MW | — | — | — |
More of Indiana
Hamilton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hamilton County, Indiana?
6 utilities have service territory in Hamilton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, AES Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power Co, Boone County Rural EMC. The largest, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, charged residential customers 12.75¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Carmel, IN in?
Carmel is in Hamilton County, Indiana. About 105,634 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Clay Township, IN in?
Clay Township is in Hamilton County, Indiana. About 104,932 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Fishers, IN in?
Fishers is in Hamilton County, Indiana. About 104,812 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hamilton County?
2 operating plants with 284 MW of capacity. The largest is Noblesville (283 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hamilton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Hamilton County.
Is Hamilton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 167,841 jobs in 2025 against 144,447 in 2019 (+16.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 8,442 to 10,134.
Does Hamilton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hamilton County. Indiana has 40 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.