Hancock County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lewisport and Hawesville
Hancock County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hancock County. Hancock County is home to Lewisport and Hawesville. 602 MW has retired here since 2019, including Kenneth C Coleman (coal, 602 MW, 2020). Employers here counted 3,627 jobs in 2025, down 11.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 176 MW of capacity, 50% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Hancock County
Hancock County is home to Lewisport and Hawesville.
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 Hancock County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,104 | 9,050 | ▼ 0.6% | 103rd of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,096 | 3,627 | ▼ 11.5% | 118th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $70,221 | $90,688 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 602 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Kenergy Corp is the largest utility serving Hancock County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.15¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 9,050 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Hancock County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −602 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hancock County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenergy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,292 | 15.15¢ | 6% |
| Meade County Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,248 | 14.27¢ | 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 88 MW | 50% |
| Hydro | 88 MW | 50% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Mills | Domtar Paper Company LLC | Other technologies | 88 MW | 2001 |
| Cannelton Hydroelectric Plant | American Mun Power-Ohio, Inc | Hydro | 88 MW | 2016 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth C Coleman | Coal | 602 MW | 2020 |
The Hancock County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,627 | $90,688 | 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 Hancock County
1 data center in Hancock County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hancock County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hancock County, Spencer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 9,050 | ▼ 11.5% | 176 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Breckinridge County | 21,503 | ▲ 8.8% | — | 300 MW | — | 1 |
| Daviess County | 104,898 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Ohio County | 23,934 | ▼ 5.3% | 509 MW | — | — | — |
| Perry County IN | 19,389 | ▼ 2.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Spencer County IN | 20,061 | ▲ 0.8% | 2,652 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Hancock County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hancock County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Hancock County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kenergy Corp, Meade County Rural E C C. The largest, Kenergy Corp, charged residential customers 15.15¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hancock County?
2 operating plants with 176 MW of capacity. The largest is Kentucky Mills (88 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Hancock County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hancock County.
Is Hancock County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,627 jobs in 2025 against 4,096 in 2019 (-11.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hancock County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hancock County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.