Putnam County, New York: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carmel, Southeast and Kent
No data center or power plant project is on record in Putnam County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Putnam County is home to Carmel, Southeast, Kent and Putnam Valley. Next door, Fairfield County, Connecticut, has 16 data centers. Construction employs 2,616, down 2.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 52% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Putnam County
Putnam County is home to Carmel, Southeast, Kent and Putnam Valley.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brewster Heights, Brewster Hill, Carmel, Lake Carmel, Mahopac, Peach Lake, Putnam Lake.
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 Putnam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in New York |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 97,636 | 99,028 | ▲ 1.4% | 29th of 62 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26,343 | 26,879 | ▲ 2.0% | 17th of 62 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,758 | $69,372 | ▲ 26.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,690 | 2,616 | ▼ 2.8% | 37th of 55 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25 | 24 | ▼ 4.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 26,879 jobs in 2025, up 2.0% from 2019. New York State Elec & Gas Corp is the largest utility serving Putnam County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 18.32¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.22¢ median for New York utilities. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 99,028 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Putnam County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Putnam County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York State Elec & Gas Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 792,300 | 18.32¢ | 23% |
| Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 270,859 | 25.14¢ | 35% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 52% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 32% |
| Petroleum | 1 MW | 16% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY - Ameresco - Southeast | Lower Mine Road LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Watchtower Educational Center | Watchtower Bible & Tract Soc-NY | Natural gas | 2 MW | 1993 |
The Putnam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 26,879 | $69,372 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,616 | $80,728 | 1.84 |
| Data processing and hosting | 24 | $128,168 | 0.29 |
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 Putnam County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Putnam County. New York has 35 local measures on record statewide.
Putnam County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Putnam County, Fairfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 99,028 | ▲ 2.0% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Dutchess County | 300,708 | ▲ 2.7% | 1,380 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Fairfield County CT | — | — | 1,446 MW | — | 16 | — |
| Orange County | 417,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 2,754 MW | 178 MW | — | — |
| Rockland County | 357,397 | ▲ 6.5% | 1,324 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Westchester County | 1,015,743 | ▲ 0.1% | 161 MW | — | 7 | — |
More of New York
Putnam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Putnam County, New York?
2 utilities have service territory in Putnam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: New York State Elec & Gas Corp, Central Hudson Gas & Elec Corp. The largest, New York State Elec & Gas Corp, charged residential customers 18.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Carmel, NY in?
Carmel is in Putnam County, New York. About 34,442 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Southeast, NY in?
Southeast is in Putnam County, New York. About 18,379 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Kent, NY in?
Kent is in Putnam County, New York. About 12,895 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Putnam County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is NY - Ameresco - Southeast (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Putnam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Putnam County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fairfield County.
Is Putnam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 26,879 jobs in 2025 against 26,343 in 2019 (+2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,690 to 2,616.
Does Putnam County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Putnam County. New York has 35 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.