Bell County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Middlesborough and Pineville
Bell County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Bell County. Bell County is home to Middlesborough and Pineville. Construction employs 208, up 46.5% since 2019. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Two-year data center moratorium”. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bell County
Bell County is home to Middlesborough and Pineville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arjay.
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 Bell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,981 | 22,829 | ▼ 4.8% | 51st of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,133 | 8,318 | ▲ 2.3% | 69th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,199 | $43,896 | ▲ 28.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 142 | 208 | ▲ 46.5% | 11th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 5.3% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
Employers here counted 8,318 jobs in 2025, up 2.3% from 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Bell County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 22,829 people live here, down 4.8% since 2020.
Who powers Bell County
Utilities with service territory in Bell 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% |
| Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,478 | 12.87¢ | 28% |
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 Bell County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,318 | $43,896 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 208 | $66,805 | 0.47 |
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 Bell County
1 data center in Bell County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-07 |
Bell County and its neighbors
None of the 7 counties bordering Bell County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 22,829 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Claiborne County TN | 33,229 | ▼ 5.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 19,465 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Harlan County | 24,725 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 29,532 | ▼ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County VA | 21,642 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Leslie County | 9,627 | ▼ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Whitley County | 37,297 | ▲ 23.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Bell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bell County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Bell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc.. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Bell County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Bell County.
Is Bell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,318 jobs in 2025 against 8,133 in 2019 (+2.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 142 to 208.
Does Bell County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Bell County, 1 in force.