Caldwell County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Princeton
Caldwell 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. Electrical contractors employ 18, up 100.0% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $37,614 a year. Caldwell County is home to Princeton. Next door, Hopkins County has 1 data center and 225 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 4,673 jobs in 2025, up 12.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Caldwell County
Caldwell County is home to Princeton.
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 Caldwell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,642 | 12,609 | ▼ 0.3% | 88th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,168 | 4,673 | ▲ 12.1% | 20th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,586 | $44,118 | ▲ 24.0% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9 | 18 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Caldwell 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. 12,609 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Caldwell County
Utilities with service territory in Caldwell 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% |
| Kenergy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,292 | 15.15¢ | 6% |
| City of Princeton - (KY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Caldwell County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Caldwell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,673 | $44,118 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $37,614 | 0.53 |
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 Caldwell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Caldwell County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Lyon County.
Caldwell County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Caldwell County, Hopkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County | 12,609 | ▲ 12.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Christian County | 70,115 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Crittenden County | 8,807 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Hopkins County | 45,127 | ▲ 4.2% | — | 225 MW | 1 | — |
| Lyon County | 9,123 | ▲ 0.8% | 216 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Trigg County | 14,512 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 12,929 | ▼ 7.9% | 685 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Caldwell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Caldwell County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Caldwell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Kenergy Corp, City of Princeton - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Caldwell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Caldwell County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hopkins County.
Is Caldwell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,673 jobs in 2025 against 4,168 in 2019 (+12.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Caldwell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Caldwell County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.