Hart County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Horse Cave and Munfordville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hart County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hart County is home to Horse Cave and Munfordville. Next door, Barren County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 5,466 jobs in 2025, up 8.7% from 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Hart 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. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Hart County
Hart County is home to Horse Cave and Munfordville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hardyville.
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 Hart County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,288 | 20,117 | ▲ 4.3% | 58th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,030 | 5,466 | ▲ 8.7% | 34th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,015 | $53,060 | ▲ 39.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
20,117 people live here, up 4.3% since 2020.
Who powers Hart County
Utilities with service territory in Hart 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% |
| Nolin Rural Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,855 | 13.08¢ | 16% |
| Taylor County Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,985 | 13.27¢ | 24% |
| Farmers Rural Electric Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,889 | 13.08¢ | 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 Hart County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hart County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,466 | $53,060 | 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 Hart County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hart County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Edmonson County.
Hart County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hart County, Barren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hart County | 20,117 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Barren County | 45,641 | ▼ 3.8% | 1 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Edmonson County | 12,749 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Grayson County | 27,406 | ▼ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Green County | 11,644 | ▲ 13.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardin County | 113,482 | ▲ 1.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Larue County | 15,184 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Metcalfe County | 10,583 | ▲ 12.4% | 55 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Hart County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hart County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Hart County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Nolin Rural Electric Coop Corp, Taylor County Rural E C C, Farmers Rural Electric Coop Corp - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hart County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hart County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Barren County.
Is Hart County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,466 jobs in 2025 against 5,030 in 2019 (+8.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hart County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hart County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.