Jay County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wayne Township, Portland and Richland Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jay County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jay County is home to Wayne Township, Portland, Richland Township and most of Dunkirk (1,969 of its 2,097 residents). 139 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Leeward Asset Management, LLC (solar). Construction employs 266, up 19.8% since 2019. Next door, Blackford County has 595 MW of planned generation. 147 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Jay County
Jay County is home to Wayne Township, Portland, Richland Township and most of Dunkirk (1,969 of its 2,097 residents).
- Dunkirk also extends into Blackford 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 Jay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,480 | 20,118 | ▼ 1.8% | 71st of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,105 | 6,950 | ▼ 2.2% | 64th of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,408 | $49,723 | ▲ 29.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 222 | 266 | ▲ 19.8% | 35th of 68 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 147 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 139 MW | 51% of today's fleet | 14th of 16 by size |
Its power plants have 273 MW of capacity, 98% of it wind. Employers here counted 6,950 jobs in 2025, down 2.2% from 2019. Indiana Michigan Power Co is the largest utility serving Jay County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.31¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 20,118 people live here, down 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Jay County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +147 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jay County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Michigan Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 422,062 | 16.31¢ | 28% |
| Jay County Rural E M C | — | — | — | — | — |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 266 MW | 98% |
| Natural gas | 4 MW | 1% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitter Ridge Wind Farm, LLC | Bitter Ridge Wind Farm, LLC | Wind | 147 MW | 2020 |
| Bluff Point Wind Facility | Bluff Point Wind, LLC | Wind | 120 MW | 2017 |
| POET Biorefining - Portland | POET Biorefining - Portland | Natural gas | 4 MW | 2017 |
| Jay County LFGTE | Wabash Valley Power Assn, Inc | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2005 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Gold Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 100 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Leeward Asset Management, LLC |
| New Jay PV & BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 39 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Hodson Greendefine Jay Desoto LLC |
The Jay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,950 | $49,723 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 266 | $57,107 | 0.72 |
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 Jay County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jay County. Indiana has 40 local measures on record statewide.
Jay County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Jay County, Blackford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay County | 20,118 | ▼ 2.2% | 273 MW | 139 MW | — | — |
| Adams County | 36,650 | ▼ 5.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Blackford County | 11,730 | ▼ 5.7% | — | 595 MW | — | — |
| Darke County OH | 51,520 | ▲ 0.3% | 248 MW | — | — | — |
| Delaware County | 113,106 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Mercer County OH | 42,737 | ▼ 0.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 24,438 | ▲ 10.5% | 850 MW | — | — | — |
| Wells County | 28,883 | ▲ 4.4% | 236 MW | — | — | — |
More of Indiana
Jay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jay County, Indiana?
2 utilities have service territory in Jay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Indiana Michigan Power Co, Jay County Rural E M C. The largest, Indiana Michigan Power Co, charged residential customers 16.31¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jay County?
4 operating plants with 273 MW of capacity. The largest is Bitter Ridge Wind Farm, LLC (147 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Jay County?
139 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Leeward Asset Management, LLC.
Are there data centers in Jay County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jay County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Blackford County.
Is Jay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,950 jobs in 2025 against 7,105 in 2019 (-2.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 222 to 266.
Does Jay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jay County. Indiana has 40 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.