Washington County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Washington Township, Salem and Polk Township
Washington County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Washington County is home to Washington Township, Salem, Polk Township and Pierce Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “12-month moratorium on large data centers”. Construction employs 333, up 9.2% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,662 jobs in 2025, down 8.2% from 2019. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.75¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities.
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Washington Township, Salem, Polk Township and Pierce Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fredericksburg.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,230 | 28,383 | ▲ 0.5% | 57th of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,167 | 5,662 | ▼ 8.2% | 84th of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,242 | $45,629 | ▲ 29.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 305 | 333 | ▲ 9.2% | 53rd of 68 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 28,383 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Utilities with service territory in Washington 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% |
| Clark County Rural E M C - (IN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,103 | 14.63¢ | 14% |
| Jackson County Rural E M C - (IN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,215 | 15.32¢ | 11% |
| Harrison County Rural E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,221 | 13.88¢ | 16% |
| Orange 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.
No operating power plant is located in Washington County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,662 | $45,629 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 333 | $56,246 | 1.11 |
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 Washington County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month moratorium on large data centers | In force | 2026-08 |
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Washington County, Clark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 28,383 | ▼ 8.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Clark County | 130,451 | ▲ 11.2% | 6 MW | 200 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Crawford County | 10,509 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 82,153 | ▲ 6.6% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Harrison County | 40,437 | ▼ 1.7% | 1 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Jackson County | 47,370 | ▲ 0.7% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 45,568 | ▲ 1.6% | 403 MW | — | — | — |
| Orange County | 19,834 | ▼ 2.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Scott County | 25,053 | ● 0.0% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Indiana
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Indiana?
5 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Clark County Rural E M C - (IN), Jackson County Rural E M C - (IN), Harrison County Rural E M C. The largest, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, charged residential customers 12.75¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Washington Township, IN in?
Washington Township is in Washington County, Indiana. About 10,430 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clark County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,662 jobs in 2025 against 6,167 in 2019 (-8.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 305 to 333.
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Washington County, 1 in force.