Leslie County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Leslie 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. Leslie County is home to Hyden. Next door, Perry County has 490 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 1,446 jobs in 2025, down 9.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. 9,627 people live here, down 8.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Leslie County
Leslie County is home to Hyden.
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 Leslie County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,470 | 9,627 | ▼ 8.1% | 99th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,602 | 1,446 | ▼ 9.7% | 116th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,400 | $44,040 | ▲ 21.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 4.8% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Leslie County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities.
Who powers Leslie County
Utilities with service territory in Leslie 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% |
| Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,423 | 13.66¢ | 14% |
| Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,478 | 12.87¢ | 28% |
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 Leslie County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Leslie County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,446 | $44,040 | 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 Leslie County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Leslie County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bell County.
Leslie County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Leslie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie County | 9,627 | ▼ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bell County | 22,829 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Clay County | 19,465 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Harlan County | 24,725 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 26,555 | ▼ 1.9% | — | 490 MW | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Leslie County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Leslie County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in Leslie County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Jackson Energy Coop Corp - (KY), Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc.. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Leslie County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Leslie County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Perry County.
Is Leslie County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,446 jobs in 2025 against 1,602 in 2019 (-9.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Leslie County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Leslie County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.