Carter County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grayson and Olive Hill
No data center or power plant project is on record in Carter County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Carter County is home to Grayson and Olive Hill. Construction employs 305, up 26.0% since 2019. Next door, Greenup County has 3 data centers. Unemployment was 6.5% in August 2026, against 7.6% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 85, up 7.6% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $50,270 a year.
Cities and towns in Carter County
Carter County is home to Grayson and Olive Hill.
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 Carter County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,614 | 26,149 | ▼ 1.7% | 44th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,438 | 5,573 | ▲ 2.5% | 67th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,359 | $44,755 | ▲ 34.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 242 | 305 | ▲ 26.0% | 25th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 79 | 85 | ▲ 7.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.6% | 6.5% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
Employers here counted 5,573 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Carter County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 26,149 people live here, down 1.7% since 2020.
Who powers Carter County
Utilities with service territory in Carter 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% |
| Grayson Rural Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,429 | 16.07¢ | 33% |
| City of Olive Hill - (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 Carter County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Carter County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,573 | $44,755 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 305 | $57,724 | 1.03 |
| Electrical contractors | 85 | $50,270 | 2.11 |
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 Carter County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Carter County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Boyd County, Rowan County.
Carter County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Carter County, Lawrence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 26,149 | ▲ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Boyd County | 47,751 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | 2 |
| Elliott County | 7,265 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Greenup County | 35,213 | ▼ 9.0% | 2 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Lawrence County | 15,765 | ▲ 8.4% | 1,430 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 12,901 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Rowan County | 24,476 | ▲ 4.6% | 1 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Kentucky
Carter County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Carter County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Carter County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Grayson Rural Electric Coop Corp, City of Olive Hill - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Carter County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Carter County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Greenup County.
Is Carter County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,573 jobs in 2025 against 5,438 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 242 to 305.
Does Carter County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Carter County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.