McCreary County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pine Knot and Stearns
No data center or power plant project is on record in McCreary County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. McCreary County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Pine Knot, Stearns, Whitley City, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Employers here counted 2,825 jobs in 2025, up 5.0% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving McCreary 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. 17,124 people live here, up 1.7% since 2020.
Cities and towns in McCreary County
McCreary County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Pine Knot, Stearns, Whitley City, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pine Knot, Stearns, Whitley City.
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 McCreary County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,840 | 17,124 | ▲ 1.7% | 67th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,691 | 2,825 | ▲ 5.0% | 52nd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,067 | $47,570 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 5.7% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
Who powers McCreary County
Utilities with service territory in McCreary 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% |
| South Kentucky Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 64,877 | 12.92¢ | 8% |
| 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 McCreary County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The McCreary County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,825 | $47,570 | 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 McCreary County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McCreary County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide.
McCreary County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McCreary County, Pulaski 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCreary County | 17,124 | ▲ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Campbell County TN | 40,290 | ▲ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Laurel County | 63,746 | ▼ 1.7% | 70 MW | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 67,384 | ▲ 1.8% | 344 MW | — | — | — |
| Scott County TN | 22,671 | ▼ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 19,597 | ▼ 10.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Whitley County | 37,297 | ▲ 23.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
McCreary County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McCreary County, Kentucky?
3 utilities have service territory in McCreary County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, South Kentucky Rural E C C, Cumberland Valley Electric, Inc.. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in McCreary County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McCreary County.
Is McCreary County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,825 jobs in 2025 against 2,691 in 2019 (+5.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does McCreary County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McCreary County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.