Barren County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Glasgow and Cave City
Barren County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Barren County. Barren County is home to Glasgow, Cave City and Park City. Construction employs 765, up 19.9% since 2019. Employers here counted 15,651 jobs in 2025, down 3.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Barren County
Barren County is home to Glasgow, Cave City and Park City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hiseville.
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 Barren County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 44,508 | 45,641 | ▲ 2.5% | 23rd of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,263 | 15,651 | ▼ 3.8% | 98th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,969 | $51,093 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 638 | 765 | ▲ 19.9% | 29th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.3% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Barren County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 45,641 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Who powers Barren County
Utilities with service territory in Barren County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 450,673 | 11.85¢ | 32% |
| Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,701 | 11.98¢ | 20% |
| Farmers Rural Electric Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,889 | 13.08¢ | 16% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,529 | 12.52¢ | 49% |
| City of Glasgow - (KY) | Municipal | Bundled | 5,644 | 13.45¢ | 65% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow LFGTE | East Kentucky Power Coop, Inc | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2015 |
The Barren County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,651 | $51,093 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 765 | $58,314 | 0.92 |
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 Barren County
1 data center in Barren County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Barren County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Barren County, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barren County | 45,641 | ▼ 3.8% | 1 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Allen County | 22,536 | ▲ 12.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Edmonson County | 12,749 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hart County | 20,117 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Metcalfe County | 10,583 | ▲ 12.4% | 55 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 11,191 | ▲ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 149,375 | ▲ 10.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
More of Kentucky
Barren County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Barren County, Kentucky?
5 utilities have service territory in Barren County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp, Farmers Rural Electric Coop Corp - (KY), Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Glasgow, KY in?
Glasgow is in Barren County, Kentucky. About 15,302 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Barren County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is Glasgow LFGTE (1 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Barren County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Barren County.
Is Barren County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,651 jobs in 2025 against 16,263 in 2019 (-3.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 638 to 765.
Does Barren County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Barren County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.