Marshall County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Benton and Calvert City
Marshall County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Marshall County, 7% of Kentucky's total. Marshall County is home to Benton, Calvert City and Hardin. Its power plants have 933 MW of capacity, 77% of it natural gas, the 10th largest fleet in Kentucky. Electrical contractors employ 218, at an average $63,136 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Marshall County
Marshall County is home to Benton, Calvert City and Hardin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gilbertsville.
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 Marshall County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,689 | 31,659 | ▼ 0.1% | 32nd of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,260 | 11,471 | ▲ 1.9% | 73rd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,418 | $62,320 | ▲ 21.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 11,471 jobs in 2025, up 1.9% from 2019. West Kentucky Rural E C C is the largest utility serving Marshall County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.46¢/kWh in 2024. 31,659 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Marshall County
Utilities with service territory in Marshall County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Kentucky Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 32,062 | 13.46¢ | 22% |
| Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,979 | 15.64¢ | 55% |
| City of Benton - (KY) | Municipal | Bundled | 1,889 | 14.07¢ | 44% |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 7% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 715 MW | 77% |
| Hydro | 219 MW | 23% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall Energy Facility | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 688 MW | 2002 |
| Kentucky Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 219 MW | 1944 |
| Calvert City | DTE Calvert City LLC | Natural gas | 27 MW | 2000 |
The Marshall County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,471 | $62,320 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 218 | $63,136 | 2.64 |
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 Marshall County
4 data centers in Marshall County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Marshall County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Marshall County, McCracken 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 31,659 | ▲ 1.9% | 933 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Calloway County | 39,421 | ▼ 4.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Graves County | 37,050 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Livingston County | 8,863 | ▲ 35.9% | 76 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyon County | 9,123 | ▲ 0.8% | 216 MW | — | — | 1 |
| McCracken County | 67,553 | ▲ 5.4% | 1,695 MW | 400 MW | 4 | — |
| Trigg County | 14,512 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Marshall County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marshall County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Marshall County in the EIA-861 2024 report: West Kentucky Rural E C C, Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation, City of Benton - (KY), Tennessee Valley Authority. The largest, West Kentucky Rural E C C, charged residential customers 13.46¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Marshall County?
3 operating plants with 933 MW of capacity. The largest is Marshall Energy Facility (688 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Marshall County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Marshall County.
Is Marshall County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,471 jobs in 2025 against 11,260 in 2019 (+1.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Marshall County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marshall County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.