Hopkins County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Madisonville, Dawson Springs and Earlington
The data center boom is not abstract in Hopkins County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hopkins County. Hopkins County is home to Madisonville, Dawson Springs, Earlington and Nortonville. 225 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Weirs Creek Solar LLC (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among Kentucky's counties. 225 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 928, up 24.2% since 2019. Employers here counted 17,329 jobs in 2025, up 4.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Hopkins County
Hopkins County is home to Madisonville, Dawson Springs, Earlington and Nortonville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Manitou.
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 Hopkins County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 45,369 | 45,127 | ▼ 0.5% | 24th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,638 | 17,329 | ▲ 4.2% | 57th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,247 | $56,343 | ▲ 30.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 747 | 928 | ▲ 24.2% | 27th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 225 MW | no fleet today | 5th of 17 by size |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Hopkins 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 4.3% in 2019. 45,127 people live here, down 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Hopkins County
Utilities with service territory in Hopkins 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% |
| Kenergy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,292 | 15.15¢ | 6% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,529 | 12.52¢ | 49% |
| Madisonville Municipal Utils | Municipal | Bundled | 6,919 | 11.68¢ | 45% |
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 Hopkins County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weirs Creek | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Weirs Creek Solar LLC |
| KYMEA Energy Center I | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 19 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency |
| KYMEA Energy Center I | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 19 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency |
| KYMEA Energy Center I | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 19 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency |
| KYMEA Energy Center I | Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine | 19 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency |
The Hopkins County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,329 | $56,343 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 928 | $72,796 | 1.01 |
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 Hopkins County
1 data center in Hopkins County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Hopkins County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hopkins County, Muhlenberg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hopkins County | 45,127 | ▲ 4.2% | — | 225 MW | 1 | — |
| Caldwell County | 12,609 | ▲ 12.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Christian County | 70,115 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | 1 | — |
| McLean County | 9,064 | ▼ 14.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Muhlenberg County | 30,634 | ▼ 3.8% | 1,854 MW | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 12,929 | ▼ 7.9% | 685 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Hopkins County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hopkins County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Hopkins County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Kenergy Corp, Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN), Madisonville Municipal Utils. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Madisonville, KY in?
Madisonville is in Hopkins County, Kentucky. About 19,428 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Hopkins County?
225 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 225 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Weirs Creek Solar LLC.
Are there data centers in Hopkins County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Hopkins County.
Is Hopkins County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,329 jobs in 2025 against 16,638 in 2019 (+4.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 747 to 928.
Does Hopkins County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hopkins County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.