Jessamine County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nicholasville and Wilmore, and the communities of High Bridge
Jessamine County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jessamine County. Jessamine County is home to Nicholasville and Wilmore, plus the unincorporated community of High Bridge. Construction employs 1,656, up 34.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “12-month moratorium on new data center development, first reading”. Electrical contractors employ 127, up 29.6% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $50,444 a year.
Cities and towns in Jessamine County
Jessamine County is home to Nicholasville and Wilmore, plus the unincorporated community of High Bridge.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): High Bridge.
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 Jessamine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 53,038 | 57,147 | ▲ 7.7% | 17th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,996 | 18,926 | ▲ 11.4% | 22nd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,222 | $55,341 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,231 | 1,656 | ▲ 34.5% | 19th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 98 | 127 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Employers here counted 18,926 jobs in 2025, up 11.4% from 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Jessamine County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 57,147 people live here, up 7.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Who powers Jessamine County
Utilities with service territory in Jessamine 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% |
| City of Nicholasville - (KY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Jessamine County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Jessamine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,926 | $55,341 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,656 | $66,986 | 1.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 127 | $50,444 | 0.93 |
| Data processing and hosting | 4 | $83,550 | 0.07 |
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 Jessamine County
1 data center in Jessamine County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month moratorium on new data center development, first reading | In force | 2026-08 |
Jessamine County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jessamine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessamine County | 57,147 | ▲ 11.4% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Fayette County | 329,751 | ▲ 5.9% | 41 MW | 40 MW | 7 | 1 |
| Garrard County | 18,207 | ▲ 26.4% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 101,696 | ▲ 6.9% | — | 100 MW | — | — |
| Mercer County | 23,733 | ▲ 0.8% | 1,488 MW | 125 MW | 1 | 2 |
| Woodford County | 27,883 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Kentucky
Jessamine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jessamine County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Jessamine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, City of Nicholasville - (KY). The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Nicholasville, KY in?
Nicholasville is in Jessamine County, Kentucky. About 33,857 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Jessamine County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jessamine County.
Is Jessamine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,926 jobs in 2025 against 16,996 in 2019 (+11.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,231 to 1,656.
Does Jessamine County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Jessamine County, 1 in force.