Knott County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Knott County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Knott County is home to Hindman and Pippa Passes. Next door, Perry County has 490 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 2,208 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019. Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Knott County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 5.8% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Knott County
Knott County is home to Hindman and Pippa Passes.
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 Knott County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,163 | 13,321 | ▼ 5.9% | 80th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,172 | 2,208 | ▲ 1.7% | 75th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,725 | $43,180 | ▲ 24.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 5.8% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
13,321 people live here, down 5.9% since 2020.
Who powers Knott County
Utilities with service territory in Knott County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 130,852 | 15.07¢ | 27% |
| Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,574 | 13.69¢ | 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 Knott County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Knott County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,208 | $43,180 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 61 | $43,448 | 0.52 |
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 Knott County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Knott County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
Knott County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Knott 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knott County | 13,321 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Breathitt County | 12,558 | ▼ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 34,401 | ▲ 4.6% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Letcher County | 19,952 | ▼ 5.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Magoffin County | 11,110 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 26,555 | ▼ 1.9% | — | 490 MW | — | — |
| Pike County | 54,721 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | 2 | — |
More of Kentucky
Knott County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Knott County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Knott County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Knott County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Knott County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Perry County.
Is Knott County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,208 jobs in 2025 against 2,172 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Knott County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Knott County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.