Elliott County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Elliott 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. Elliott County is home to Sandy Hook. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 8.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 898 jobs in 2025, down 3.2% from 2019. Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Elliott 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. 7,265 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Elliott County
Elliott County is home to Sandy Hook.
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 Elliott County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,333 | 7,265 | ▼ 0.9% | 112th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 928 | 898 | ▼ 3.2% | 96th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,198 | $49,004 | ▲ 57.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 8.0% | 7.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Who powers Elliott County
Utilities with service territory in Elliott 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% |
| Licking Valley Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,805 | 13.83¢ | 41% |
| Grayson Rural Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,429 | 16.07¢ | 33% |
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 Elliott County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Elliott County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 898 | $49,004 | 1.00 |
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 Elliott County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Elliott County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Rowan County.
Elliott County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Elliott 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott County | 7,265 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Carter County | 26,149 | ▲ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 15,765 | ▲ 8.4% | 1,430 MW | — | — | — |
| Morgan County | 14,415 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Rowan County | 24,476 | ▲ 4.6% | 1 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Kentucky
Elliott County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Elliott County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Elliott County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Licking Valley Rural E C C, Grayson Rural Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Elliott County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Elliott County.
Is Elliott County adding jobs?
Employers counted 898 jobs in 2025 against 928 in 2019 (-3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Elliott County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Elliott County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.