Franklin County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Farmington, Jay and Wilton
Franklin County is living through the turnover of the U.S. power fleet. Franklin County is home to Farmington, Jay, Wilton and New Sharon. 244 MW has retired here since 2019, including Androscoggin Energy Center (natural gas, 164 MW, 2025). 103 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 336 MW of capacity, 49% of it wind, the 6th largest fleet in Maine. Employers here counted 10,512 jobs in 2025, down 2.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Farmington, Jay, Wilton and New Sharon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chisholm, Farmington, Kingfield, Rangeley, Wilton.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 29,463 | 30,824 | ▲ 4.6% | 15th of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,742 | 10,512 | ▼ 2.1% | 11th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,636 | $50,187 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 103 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 244 MW | — |
Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving Franklin County. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 30,824 people live here, up 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Franklin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −141 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Franklin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Maine Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 577,955 | 23.43¢ | 22% |
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 14
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 166 MW | 49% |
| Solar | 103 MW | 31% |
| Other technologies | 47 MW | 14% |
| Hydro | 20 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kibby Wind Facility | Helix Maine Wind Development, LLC | Wind | 132 MW | 2009 |
| Farmington Solar | Farmington Solar, LLC | Solar | 77 MW | 2021 |
| ReEnergy Stratton LLC | ReEnergy Stratton LLC | Other technologies | 47 MW | 1989 |
| Saddleback Ridge Wind Farm | CPV Saddleback Ridge Wind, LLC | Wind | 34 MW | 2014 |
| Otis Hydro | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 10 MW | 1985 |
| International Paper Riley Hydro | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 7 MW | 1981 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin Energy Center | Natural gas | 164 MW | 2025 |
| Androscoggin Mill | Natural gas | 80 MW | 2023 |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,512 | $50,187 | 1.00 |
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 Franklin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Franklin County. Maine has 24 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Androscoggin County.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Franklin County, Oxford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 30,824 | ▼ 2.1% | 336 MW | — | — | — |
| Androscoggin County | 116,487 | ▼ 2.6% | 196 MW | 30 MW | — | 1 |
| Kennebec County | 129,067 | ▲ 2.8% | 136 MW | — | — | — |
| Oxford County | 60,346 | ▲ 0.6% | 595 MW | — | — | — |
| Somerset County | 51,620 | ▼ 0.4% | 498 MW | — | — | — |
More of Maine
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Maine?
1 utility has service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co. The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
14 operating plants with 336 MW of capacity. The largest is Kibby Wind Facility (132 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,512 jobs in 2025 against 10,742 in 2019 (-2.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.