Bracken County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Augusta
Bracken County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Bracken County is home to Augusta and Brooksville. Employers here counted 1,564 jobs in 2025, up 27.7% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 120 Kentucky counties). Next door, Mason County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 105 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Bracken County
Bracken County is home to Augusta and Brooksville.
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 Bracken County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,399 | 8,511 | ▲ 1.3% | 108th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,225 | 1,564 | ▲ 27.7% | 5th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,967 | $49,469 | ▲ 37.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39 | 91 | ▲ 133.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Bracken County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 8,511 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Bracken County
Utilities with service territory in Bracken 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% |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,641 | 12.32¢ | 14% |
| Fleming-Mason Energy Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,666 | 13.05¢ | 14% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 105 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meldahl Hydroelectric Project | City of Hamilton - (OH) | Hydro | 105 MW | 2016 |
The Bracken County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,564 | $49,469 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 91 | $50,198 | 1.10 |
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 Bracken County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bracken County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
Bracken County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bracken County, Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracken County | 8,511 | ▲ 27.7% | 105 MW | — | — | — |
| Brown County OH | 44,397 | ▲ 2.3% | 205 MW | — | — | — |
| Clermont County OH | 216,977 | ▲ 5.6% | 84 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 19,627 | ▲ 3.5% | 100 MW | 70 MW | — | — |
| Mason County | 16,936 | ▼ 6.0% | 1,608 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pendleton County | 14,800 | ▼ 4.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Robertson County | 2,325 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Bracken County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bracken County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Bracken County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, Fleming-Mason Energy Coop Inc. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Bracken County?
1 operating plant with 105 MW of capacity. The largest is Meldahl Hydroelectric Project (105 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Bracken County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bracken County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mason County.
Is Bracken County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,564 jobs in 2025 against 1,225 in 2019 (+27.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 39 to 91.
Does Bracken County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bracken County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.