Knox County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rockland, Camden and Warren
New generation is lining up in Knox County. Knox County is home to Rockland, Camden, Warren and Rockport. 74 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Warren Meadow Solar Station, LLC (solar), the 3rd largest pipeline among Maine's counties. 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 17,014 jobs in 2025, down 3.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 72% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Knox County
Knox County is home to Rockland, Camden, Warren and Rockport.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Camden, Thomaston.
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 Knox County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 40,663 | 41,117 | ▲ 1.1% | 10th of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,678 | 17,014 | ▼ 3.8% | 15th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,536 | $57,304 | ▲ 38.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 466% of today's fleet | 3rd of 8 by size |
Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving Knox County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 41,117 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020, 10th of 16 Maine counties by population.
Who powers Knox County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Knox 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% |
| Fox Islands Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Matinicus Plantation Elec Co | — | — | — | — | — |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 12 MW | 72% |
| Wind | 4 MW | 28% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Island Wind LLC | Fox Island Wind LLC | Wind | 4 MW | 2009 |
| Washington WS01 | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 4 MW | 2022 |
| BWC Maces Pond LLC | Navisun LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2021 |
| Samoset Solar | Samoset Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
| Waldoboro Solar, LLC | SREOG Partnership 2, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Meadow Solar Station | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | Warren Meadow Solar Station, LLC |
The Knox County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,014 | $57,304 | 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 Knox County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Knox County. Maine has 24 local measures on record statewide.
Knox County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Knox County, Hancock 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 41,117 | ▼ 3.8% | 16 MW | 74 MW | — | — |
| Hancock County | 57,171 | ▲ 4.2% | 388 MW | 102 MW | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 36,595 | ▲ 1.9% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Waldo County | 40,693 | ▼ 2.3% | 149 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
More of Maine
Knox County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Knox County, Maine?
3 utilities have service territory in Knox County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co, Fox Islands Electric Coop, Inc, Matinicus Plantation Elec Co. The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Knox County?
5 operating plants with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Fox Island Wind LLC (4 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Knox County?
74 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Warren Meadow Solar Station, LLC.
Are there data centers in Knox County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Knox County.
Is Knox County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,014 jobs in 2025 against 17,678 in 2019 (-3.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Knox County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Knox County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.