Simpson County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Franklin
Simpson County sits inside the data center build-out. Electrical contractors employ 63, up 215.0% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $53,995 a year. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Simpson County. Simpson County is home to Franklin. 80 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SR Horus, LLC (solar). 80 MW of it is already under construction or built. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Simpson County
Simpson County is home to Franklin.
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 Simpson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,628 | 20,788 | ▲ 5.9% | 56th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,005 | 9,304 | ▲ 3.3% | 63rd of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,819 | $53,816 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20 | 63 | ▲ 215.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 80 MW | 1328% of today's fleet | 12th of 17 by size |
Employers here counted 9,304 jobs in 2025, up 3.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp is the largest utility serving Simpson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.98¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 20,788 people live here, up 5.9% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Who powers Simpson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Simpson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,701 | 11.98¢ | 20% |
| City of Franklin - (KY) | Municipal | Bundled | 4,561 | 12.92¢ | 23% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Warren, LLC | SR Warren, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2024 |
| SR Franklin, LLC | SR Franklin, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Horus | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | SR Horus, LLC |
The Simpson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,304 | $53,816 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 63 | $53,995 | 0.94 |
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 Simpson County
1 data center in Simpson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Simpson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Simpson County, Sumner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County | 20,788 | ▲ 3.3% | 6 MW | 80 MW | 1 | — |
| Allen County | 22,536 | ▲ 12.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Logan County | 28,669 | ▼ 2.3% | 173 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Robertson County TN | 80,175 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Sumner County TN | 215,538 | ▲ 12.7% | 2,022 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Warren County | 149,375 | ▲ 10.2% | — | — | 1 | — |
More of Kentucky
Simpson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Simpson County, Kentucky?
2 utilities have service territory in Simpson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp, City of Franklin - (KY). The largest, Warren Rural Elec Coop Corp, charged residential customers 11.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Franklin, KY in?
Franklin is in Simpson County, Kentucky. About 10,759 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Simpson County?
2 operating plants with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is SR Warren, LLC (4 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Simpson County?
80 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 80 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SR Horus, LLC.
Are there data centers in Simpson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Simpson County.
Is Simpson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,304 jobs in 2025 against 9,005 in 2019 (+3.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Simpson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Simpson County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.