Cheshire County, New Hampshire: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Keene, Swanzey and Rindge
The data center boom is not abstract in Cheshire County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Cheshire County, 12% of New Hampshire's total. Cheshire County is home to Keene, Swanzey, Rindge and Jaffrey. Electrical contractors employ 193, up 24.5% since 2019 against up 21.7% statewide, at an average $67,439 a year. Employers here counted 30,753 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 10 New Hampshire counties). Public Service Co of NH is the largest utility serving Cheshire County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 22.65¢/kWh in 2024, below the 23.10¢ median for New Hampshire utilities.
Cities and towns in Cheshire County
Cheshire County is home to Keene, Swanzey, Rindge and Jaffrey.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hinsdale, Jaffrey, Marlborough, North Walpole, Troy, Walpole, West Swanzey, Winchester.
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 Cheshire County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 76,541 | 78,269 | ▲ 2.3% | 6th of 10 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 31,740 | 30,753 | ▼ 3.1% | 8th of 10 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,481 | $61,607 | ▲ 29.8% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 155 | 193 | ▲ 24.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. 78,269 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020, 6th of 10 New Hampshire counties by population.
Who powers Cheshire County
Utilities with service territory in Cheshire County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of NH | Investor Owned | Bundled | 459,907 | 22.65¢ | 20% |
| New Hampshire Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 74,144 | 23.83¢ | 20% |
| Liberty Utilities (Granite State Electri | Investor Owned | Bundled | 39,667 | 22.87¢ | 33% |
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 Cheshire County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Cheshire County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 30,753 | $61,607 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 193 | $67,439 | 0.87 |
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 Cheshire County
2 data centers in Cheshire County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Cheshire County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Cheshire County, Worcester 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheshire County | 78,269 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Franklin County MA | 70,698 | ▼ 6.8% | 1,334 MW | — | — | — |
| Hillsborough County | 433,415 | ▼ 3.2% | 63 MW | — | 8 | — |
| Sullivan County | 43,961 | ▲ 1.2% | 45 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Windham County VT | 45,204 | ▼ 2.3% | 122 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Worcester County MA | 888,502 | ▲ 0.9% | 1,956 MW | 205 MW | 8 | — |
More of New Hampshire
Cheshire County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cheshire County, New Hampshire?
3 utilities have service territory in Cheshire County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of NH, New Hampshire Elec Coop Inc, Liberty Utilities (Granite State Electri. The largest, Public Service Co of NH, charged residential customers 22.65¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Keene, NH in?
Keene is in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. About 23,072 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Cheshire County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Cheshire County.
Is Cheshire County adding jobs?
Employers counted 30,753 jobs in 2025 against 31,740 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Cheshire County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cheshire County. New Hampshire has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.