Breathitt County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jackson
Breathitt 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. Breathitt County is home to Jackson. Next door, Perry County has 490 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,641 jobs in 2025, down 6.0% from 2019. 12,558 people live here, down 8.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Breathitt County
Breathitt County is home to Jackson.
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 Breathitt County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,701 | 12,558 | ▼ 8.3% | 89th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,809 | 2,641 | ▼ 6.0% | 108th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,602 | $47,812 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18 | 70 | ▲ 288.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 5.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Breathitt County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities.
Who powers Breathitt County
Utilities with service territory in Breathitt County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 130,852 | 15.07¢ | 27% |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,423 | 13.66¢ | 14% |
| Licking Valley Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,805 | 13.83¢ | 41% |
| Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,574 | 13.69¢ | 16% |
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 Breathitt County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Breathitt County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,641 | $47,812 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 70 | $57,889 | 0.50 |
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 Breathitt County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Breathitt County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
Breathitt County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Breathitt County, Perry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathitt County | 12,558 | ▼ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Knott County | 13,321 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lee County | 7,297 | ▲ 4.1% | — | 6 MW | — | — |
| Magoffin County | 11,110 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Owsley County | 3,932 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 26,555 | ▼ 1.9% | — | 490 MW | — | — |
| Wolfe County | 6,298 | ▲ 28.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Breathitt County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Breathitt County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY), Licking Valley Rural E C C, Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Breathitt County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Breathitt County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Perry County.
Is Breathitt County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,641 jobs in 2025 against 2,809 in 2019 (-6.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 18 to 70.
Does Breathitt County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Breathitt County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.