Morgan County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to West Liberty
No data center or power plant project is on record in Morgan County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Morgan County is home to West Liberty. Employers here counted 3,181 jobs in 2025, up 6.0% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Morgan County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 14,415 people live here, up 5.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Morgan County
Morgan County is home to West Liberty.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ezel.
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 Morgan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,733 | 14,415 | ▲ 5.0% | 77th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,001 | 3,181 | ▲ 6.0% | 44th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,529 | $48,432 | ▲ 36.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.9% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
Who powers Morgan County
Utilities with service territory in Morgan 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% |
| Clark Energy Coop Inc - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,203 | 13.25¢ | 21% |
| Licking Valley Rural E C C | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,805 | 13.83¢ | 41% |
| Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,574 | 13.69¢ | 16% |
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 Morgan County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Morgan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,181 | $48,432 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 375 | $49,562 | 2.23 |
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 Morgan County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Morgan County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Rowan County.
Morgan County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Morgan County, Lawrence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | 14,415 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Elliott County | 7,265 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 22,051 | ▲ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 15,765 | ▲ 8.4% | 1,430 MW | — | — | — |
| Magoffin County | 11,110 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Menifee County | 6,430 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Rowan County | 24,476 | ▲ 4.6% | 1 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Wolfe County | 6,298 | ▲ 28.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kentucky
Morgan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morgan County, Kentucky?
4 utilities have service territory in Morgan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co, Clark Energy Coop Inc - (KY), Licking Valley Rural E C C, Big Sandy Rural Elec Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Morgan County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morgan County.
Is Morgan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,181 jobs in 2025 against 3,001 in 2019 (+6.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Morgan County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Morgan County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.