Floyd County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Prestonsburg and Wheelwright
Floyd County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Floyd County, 3% of Kentucky's total. Floyd County is home to Prestonsburg and Wheelwright. Construction employs 380, down 33.9% since 2019. Employers here counted 11,099 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Floyd County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities.
Cities and towns in Floyd County
Floyd County is home to Prestonsburg and Wheelwright.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Auxier, Betsy Layne, Dwale, Maytown, McDowell.
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 Floyd County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 35,805 | 34,401 | ▼ 3.9% | 31st of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,607 | 11,099 | ▲ 4.6% | 53rd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,023 | $49,128 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 575 | 380 | ▼ 33.9% | 55th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14 | 8 | ▼ 42.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 5.5% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. 34,401 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 8, down 42.9% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $77,369 a year.
Who powers Floyd County
Utilities with service territory in Floyd 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% |
| 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 Floyd County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Floyd County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,099 | $49,128 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 380 | $59,688 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 8 | $77,369 | 0.10 |
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 Floyd County
2 data centers in Floyd County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Floyd County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Floyd County, Pike 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | 34,401 | ▲ 4.6% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Johnson County | 22,051 | ▲ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Knott County | 13,321 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Magoffin County | 11,110 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Martin County | 10,697 | ▼ 22.2% | 111 MW | — | — | — |
| Pike County | 54,721 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | 2 | — |
More of Kentucky
Floyd County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Floyd County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Floyd County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, 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 Floyd County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Floyd County.
Is Floyd County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,099 jobs in 2025 against 10,607 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 575 to 380.
Does Floyd County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Floyd County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.