Harlan County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harlan and Cumberland
No data center or power plant project is on record in Harlan County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Harlan County is home to Harlan, Cumberland, Evarts and Lynch. Unemployment was 5.9% in August 2026, against 7.9% in 2019. Next door, Perry County has 490 MW of planned generation. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Harlan 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. Employers here counted 6,247 jobs in 2025, up 1.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Harlan County
Harlan County is home to Harlan, Cumberland, Evarts and Lynch.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ages, Cawood, Coldiron, Coxton, Kenvir, Pathfork, South Wallins, Wallins Creek.
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 Harlan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,752 | 24,725 | ▼ 7.6% | 47th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,168 | 6,247 | ▲ 1.3% | 77th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,961 | $43,614 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.9% | 5.9% | ▼ 2.0pts | — |
24,725 people live here, down 7.6% since 2020.
Who powers Harlan County
Utilities with service territory in Harlan 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% |
| Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,478 | 12.87¢ | 28% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,529 | 12.52¢ | 49% |
| City of Benham | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Harlan County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Harlan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,247 | $43,614 | 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 Harlan County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Harlan County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bell County.
Harlan County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Harlan County, Perry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County | 24,725 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Bell County | 22,829 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Lee County VA | 21,642 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Leslie County | 9,627 | ▼ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Letcher County | 19,952 | ▼ 5.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 26,555 | ▼ 1.9% | — | 490 MW | — | — |
| Wise County VA | 34,824 | ▼ 6.2% | 671 MW | 20 MW | 1 | — |
More of Kentucky
Harlan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harlan County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Harlan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc., Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN), City of Benham. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Harlan County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harlan County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Perry County.
Is Harlan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,247 jobs in 2025 against 6,168 in 2019 (+1.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Harlan County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Harlan County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.