McLean County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Livermore
No data center or power plant project is on record in McLean County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. McLean County is home to Livermore and Calhoun. Construction employs 101, up 36.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 1,716 jobs in 2025, down 14.0% from 2019. Next door, Hopkins County has 1 data center and 225 MW of planned generation. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving McLean 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.
Cities and towns in McLean County
McLean County is home to Livermore and Calhoun.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beech Grove.
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 McLean County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,134 | 9,064 | ▼ 0.8% | 102nd of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,995 | 1,716 | ▼ 14.0% | 119th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,133 | $45,193 | ▲ 9.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 74 | 101 | ▲ 36.5% | 18th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.1% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 9,064 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers McLean County
Utilities with service territory in McLean 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% |
| Kenergy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,292 | 15.15¢ | 6% |
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 McLean County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The McLean County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,716 | $45,193 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 101 | $55,144 | 1.11 |
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 McLean County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McLean County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Daviess County.
McLean County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McLean County, Muhlenberg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County | 9,064 | ▼ 14.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Daviess County | 104,898 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Henderson County | 44,255 | ▼ 3.2% | 560 MW | 51 MW | — | — |
| Hopkins County | 45,127 | ▲ 4.2% | — | 225 MW | 1 | — |
| Muhlenberg County | 30,634 | ▼ 3.8% | 1,854 MW | — | — | — |
| Ohio County | 23,934 | ▼ 5.3% | 509 MW | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 12,929 | ▼ 7.9% | 685 MW | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
McLean County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McLean County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in McLean County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Kenergy Corp. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in McLean County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McLean County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hopkins County.
Is McLean County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,716 jobs in 2025 against 1,995 in 2019 (-14.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 74 to 101.
Does McLean County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McLean County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.