Mason County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Maysville
Mason County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mason County. Mason County is home to Maysville. Its power plants have 1,608 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 6th largest fleet in Kentucky. Construction employs 439, up 5.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 7,872 jobs in 2025, down 6.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Mason County
Mason County is home to Maysville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mays Lick.
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 Mason County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,135 | 16,936 | ▼ 1.2% | 68th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,373 | 7,872 | ▼ 6.0% | 109th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,281 | $51,901 | ▲ 22.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 415 | 439 | ▲ 5.8% | 43rd of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 5.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Mason County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. 16,936 people live here, down 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Mason County
Utilities with service territory in Mason 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% |
| Fleming-Mason Energy Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,666 | 13.05¢ | 14% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,608 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H L Spurlock | East Kentucky Power Coop, Inc | Coal | 1,608 MW | 1977 |
The Mason County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,872 | $51,901 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 439 | $80,265 | 1.05 |
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 Mason County
1 data center in Mason County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Mason County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Mason County, Fleming 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 16,936 | ▼ 6.0% | 1,608 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Adams County OH | 27,865 | ▲ 17.4% | — | — | — | 2 |
| Bracken County | 8,511 | ▲ 27.7% | 105 MW | — | — | — |
| Brown County OH | 44,397 | ▲ 2.3% | 205 MW | — | — | — |
| Fleming County | 15,787 | ▲ 2.3% | — | 188 MW | — | — |
| Lewis County | 12,901 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Robertson County | 2,325 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Mason County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mason County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Mason County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Fleming-Mason Energy Coop Inc. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Mason County?
1 operating plant with 1,608 MW of capacity. The largest is H L Spurlock (1,608 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Mason County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Mason County.
Is Mason County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,872 jobs in 2025 against 8,373 in 2019 (-6.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 415 to 439.
Does Mason County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mason County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.