Crittenden County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Marion
No data center or power plant project is on record in Crittenden County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Crittenden County is home to Marion. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Crittenden 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. Employers here counted 1,917 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. 8,807 people live here, down 2.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Crittenden County
Crittenden County is home to Marion.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Crayne, Tolu.
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 Crittenden County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,002 | 8,807 | ▼ 2.2% | 106th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,922 | 1,917 | ▼ 0.3% | 88th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,020 | $43,326 | ▲ 31.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
Who powers Crittenden County
Utilities with service territory in Crittenden 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% |
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 Crittenden County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Crittenden County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,917 | $43,326 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 44 | $48,150 | 0.43 |
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 Crittenden County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Crittenden County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Lyon County.
Crittenden County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Crittenden County, Webster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crittenden County | 8,807 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 12,609 | ▲ 12.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardin County IL | 3,588 | ▲ 21.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Livingston County | 8,863 | ▲ 35.9% | 76 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyon County | 9,123 | ▲ 0.8% | 216 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Union County | 12,839 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 12,929 | ▼ 7.9% | 685 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Crittenden County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crittenden County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Crittenden County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Kenergy Corp. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Crittenden County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Crittenden County.
Is Crittenden County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,917 jobs in 2025 against 1,922 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Crittenden County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crittenden County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.