Pike County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pikeville and Coal Run Village
Pike County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Pike County, 3% of Kentucky's total. Pike County is home to Pikeville, Coal Run Village and Elkhorn City. Construction employs 509, down 1.4% since 2019. Unemployment was 6.1% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 20,166 jobs in 2025, down 2.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Pike County
Pike County is home to Pikeville, Coal Run Village and Elkhorn City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belfry, Freeburn, McCarr, Phelps, South Williamson, Virgie.
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 Pike County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 58,459 | 54,721 | ▼ 6.4% | 18th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,683 | 20,166 | ▼ 2.5% | 95th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,568 | $53,127 | ▲ 21.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 516 | 509 | ▼ 1.4% | 50th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 6.1% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
Kentucky Power Co is the largest utility serving Pike County. Its residential customers paid an average 15.07¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 54,721 people live here, down 6.4% since 2020.
Who powers Pike County
Utilities with service territory in Pike 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% |
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 Pike County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Pike County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,166 | $53,127 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 509 | $52,158 | 0.48 |
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 Pike County
2 data centers in Pike County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Pike County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Pike County, Wise 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 54,721 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Buchanan County VA | 18,492 | ▼ 11.7% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickenson County VA | 13,236 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 34,401 | ▲ 4.6% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Knott County | 13,321 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Letcher County | 19,952 | ▼ 5.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Martin County | 10,697 | ▼ 22.2% | 111 MW | — | — | — |
| Mingo County WV | 21,455 | ▼ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wise County VA | 34,824 | ▼ 6.2% | 671 MW | 20 MW | 1 | — |
More of Kentucky
Pike County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pike County, Kentucky?
1 utility has service territory in Pike County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Power Co. The largest, Kentucky Power Co, charged residential customers 15.07¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Pike County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Pike County.
Is Pike County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,166 jobs in 2025 against 20,683 in 2019 (-2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 516 to 509.
Does Pike County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pike County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.