Essex County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to North Elba, Ticonderoga and Moriah
No data center or power plant project is on record in Essex County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 1,048, up 79.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Essex County is home to North Elba, Ticonderoga, Moriah and Jay. Next door, Chittenden County, Vermont, has 6 data centers. Electrical contractors employ 46, up 27.8% since 2019 against down 6.8% statewide, at an average $40,292 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Essex County
Essex County is home to North Elba, Ticonderoga, Moriah and Jay.
- Saranac Lake also extends into Franklin County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Elizabethtown, Keeseville, Mineville, Port Henry, Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, Westport, Willsboro, Willsboro Point, Wilmington, Witherbee.
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 Essex County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,275 | 36,438 | ▼ 2.2% | 56th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,639 | 15,228 | ▲ 4.0% | 11th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,483 | $60,784 | ▲ 43.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 585 | 1,048 | ▲ 79.1% | 1st of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 36 | 46 | ▲ 27.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.3% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 22 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
22 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 15,228 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 78 MW of capacity, 54% of it natural gas. Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. is the largest utility serving Essex County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.22¢/kWh in 2024. 36,438 people live here, down 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Essex County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +22 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Essex County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,532,294 | 17.22¢ | 24% |
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 792,300 | 18.32¢ | 23% |
| Lake Placid Village, Inc - (NY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 42 MW | 54% |
| Solar | 22 MW | 29% |
| Hydro | 9 MW | 12% |
| Petroleum | 4 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ticonderoga Mill | Sylvamo North America LLC | Natural gas | 42 MW | 1970 |
| Lachute Hydro Upper | Central Rivers Power US, LLC | Hydro | 5 MW | 1987 |
| Pivot Solar NY 1 | Pivot Energy | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Pivot Solar NY 6 | Pivot Energy | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Pivot Solar NY 9 | Pivot Energy | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Ticon Solar | Ticon Solar, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
The Essex County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,228 | $60,784 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,048 | $99,797 | 1.30 |
| Electrical contractors | 46 | $40,292 | 0.42 |
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 Essex County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Essex County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide.
Essex County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Essex County, Chittenden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 36,438 | ▲ 4.0% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Addison County VT | 38,048 | ▲ 4.3% | 46 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Chittenden County VT | 169,115 | ▲ 0.5% | 196 MW | 16 MW | 6 | — |
| Clinton County | 78,138 | ▼ 8.5% | 871 MW | 2 MW | 1 | — |
| Franklin County | 46,500 | ▼ 2.9% | 230 MW | 105 MW | 2 | — |
| Hamilton County | 5,006 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 65,020 | ▼ 2.7% | 51 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 59,353 | ▼ 3.6% | 72 MW | — | — | — |
More of New York
Essex County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Essex County, New York?
3 utilities have service territory in Essex County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Lake Placid Village, Inc - (NY). The largest, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., charged residential customers 17.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Essex County?
9 operating plants with 78 MW of capacity. The largest is Ticonderoga Mill (42 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Essex County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Essex County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Chittenden County.
Is Essex County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,228 jobs in 2025 against 14,639 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 585 to 1,048.
Does Essex County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Essex County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.