Spencer County, Kentucky: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Taylorsville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Spencer County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 107, up 296.3% since 2019 against up 22.8% statewide, at an average $60,884 a year. Construction employs 262, up 66.9% since 2019, and construction is 2.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Spencer County is home to Taylorsville. Next door, Jefferson County has 18 data centers and 740 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 2,284 jobs in 2025, up 10.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Spencer County
Spencer County is home to Taylorsville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Elk Creek.
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 Spencer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,496 | 20,998 | ▲ 7.7% | 55th of 120 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,066 | 2,284 | ▲ 10.6% | 27th of 120 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,138 | $47,336 | ▲ 38.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 157 | 262 | ▲ 66.9% | 7th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27 | 107 | ▲ 296.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Spencer County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.85¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.21¢ median for Kentucky utilities. 20,998 people live here, up 7.7% since 2020.
Who powers Spencer County
Utilities with service territory in Spencer 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% |
| Louisville Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 384,902 | 12.28¢ | 42% |
| Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 60,641 | 12.32¢ | 14% |
| Salt River Electric Coop Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 53,479 | 10.88¢ | 23% |
| Shelby Energy Coop, Inc - (KY) | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,437 | 13.21¢ | 18% |
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 Spencer County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Spencer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,284 | $47,336 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 262 | $57,217 | 2.17 |
| Electrical contractors | 107 | $60,884 | 6.50 |
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 Spencer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Spencer County. Kentucky has 44 local measures on record statewide, and 4 neighboring counties have one: Bullitt County, Jefferson County, Nelson County, Shelby County.
Spencer County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Spencer County, Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer County | 20,998 | ▲ 10.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Anderson County | 25,225 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bullitt County | 86,454 | ▲ 12.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 795,222 | ▲ 2.0% | 2,489 MW | 740 MW | 18 | 1 |
| Nelson County | 49,036 | ▲ 12.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Shelby County | 51,243 | ▲ 0.6% | 2 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
More of Kentucky
Spencer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Spencer County, Kentucky?
5 utilities have service territory in Spencer County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Louisville Gas & Electric Co, Blue Grass Energy Coop Corp, Salt River Electric Coop Corp. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.85¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Spencer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Spencer County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jefferson County.
Is Spencer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,284 jobs in 2025 against 2,066 in 2019 (+10.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 157 to 262.
Does Spencer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Spencer County. Kentucky has 44 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.