Garrard County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lancaster
Garrard 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. Construction employs 449, up 40.3% since 2019, and construction is 3.1 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Garrard County is home to Lancaster. Employers here counted 2,688 jobs in 2025, up 26.4% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 120 Kentucky counties). Next door, Mercer County has 1 data center. 50 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Garrard County
Garrard County is home to Lancaster.
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 Garrard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,965 | 18,207 | ▲ 7.3% | 66th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,127 | 2,688 | ▲ 26.4% | 6th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,408 | $50,800 | ▲ 39.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 320 | 449 | ▲ 40.3% | 15th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 50 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 50 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Garrard County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 18,207 people live here, up 7.3% since 2020.
Who powers Garrard County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +50 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Garrard 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% |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,641 | 12.32¢ | 14% |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,423 | 13.66¢ | 14% |
| Inter County Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,655 | 13.74¢ | 10% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 50 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Turkey Creek, LLC | SR Turkey Creek, LLC | Solar | 50 MW | 2022 |
The Garrard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,688 | $50,800 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 449 | $74,143 | 3.15 |
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 Garrard County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Garrard County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Boyle County, Jessamine County, Mercer County.
Garrard County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Garrard County, Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrard County | 18,207 | ▲ 26.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Boyle County | 31,632 | ▲ 2.6% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Jessamine County | 57,147 | ▲ 11.4% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Lincoln County | 25,353 | ▲ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 101,696 | ▲ 6.9% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Mercer County | 23,733 | ▲ 0.8% | 1,488 MW | 125 MW | 1 | 2 |
| Rockcastle County | 16,148 | ▼ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Garrard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Garrard County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Garrard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY), Inter County Energy Coop Corp - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Garrard County?
1 operating plant with 50 MW of capacity. The largest is SR Turkey Creek, LLC (50 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Garrard County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Garrard County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mercer County.
Is Garrard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,688 jobs in 2025 against 2,127 in 2019 (+26.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 320 to 449.
Does Garrard County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Garrard County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.