Ripley County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Batesville, Adams Township and Laughery Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ripley County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ripley County is home to most of Batesville (5,394 of its 7,401 residents), Adams Township, Laughery Township and Johnson Township. Employers here counted 11,001 jobs in 2025, down 13.0% from 2019. Construction employs 480, down 8.0% since 2019. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC is the largest utility serving Ripley County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.75¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Ripley County
Ripley County is home to most of Batesville (5,394 of its 7,401 residents), Adams Township, Laughery Township and Johnson Township.
- Batesville also extends into Franklin 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 Ripley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,979 | 29,434 | ▲ 1.6% | 55th of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,644 | 11,001 | ▼ 13.0% | 88th of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,210 | $53,333 | ▲ 20.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 522 | 480 | ▼ 8.0% | 65th of 68 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
29,434 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Ripley County
Utilities with service territory in Ripley 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% |
| Southeastern Indiana R E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,172 | 15.22¢ | 14% |
| Decatur County Rural E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 8,088 | 15.83¢ | 11% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Ripley County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ripley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,001 | $53,333 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 480 | $57,063 | 0.82 |
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 Ripley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ripley County. Indiana has 40 local measures on record statewide, and 4 neighboring counties have one: Dearborn County, Franklin County, Jefferson County, Switzerland County.
Ripley County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Ripley County, Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley County | 29,434 | ▼ 13.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Dearborn County | 51,609 | ▲ 4.7% | 1,232 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Decatur County | 26,576 | ▼ 7.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 23,286 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 33,279 | ▲ 3.6% | 1,304 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jennings County | 27,622 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Ohio County | 5,994 | ▼ 14.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Switzerland County | 10,037 | ▼ 22.5% | 78 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Indiana
Ripley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ripley County, Indiana?
3 utilities have service territory in Ripley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Southeastern Indiana R E M C, Decatur County Rural E M C. The largest, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, charged residential customers 12.75¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Ripley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ripley County.
Is Ripley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,001 jobs in 2025 against 12,644 in 2019 (-13.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 522 to 480.
Does Ripley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ripley County. Indiana has 40 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.