Allen County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lima, American Township and Shawnee Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Allen County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Allen County is home to Lima, American Township, Shawnee Township and Bath Township. Next door, Hancock County has 235 MW of planned generation. 2 MW has retired here since 2019, including AEP Bluffton NaS (battery storage, 2 MW, 2021). Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Allen County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Electrical contractors employ 169, down 6.1% since 2019 against up 37.0% statewide, at an average $65,480 a year.
Cities and towns in Allen County
Allen County is home to Lima, American Township, Shawnee Township and Bath Township.
- Delphos also extends into Van Wert County.
- Bluffton also extends into Hancock County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Shawnee, Gomer, Westminster.
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 Allen County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 102,116 | 100,881 | ▼ 1.2% | 26th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 50,165 | 50,015 | ▼ 0.3% | 51st of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,190 | $60,415 | ▲ 30.8% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 180 | 169 | ▼ 6.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — |
Employers here counted 50,015 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 100,881 people live here, down 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Allen County
Utilities with service territory in Allen County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,339,232 | 19.33¢ | 22% |
| Hancock-Wood Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,307 | 17.05¢ | 29% |
| Midwest Electric, Inc - (OH) | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,836 | 15.27¢ | 34% |
| Paulding-Putman Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,176 | 17.67¢ | 21% |
| Mid-Ohio Energy Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Allen County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Bluffton NaS | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2021 |
The Allen County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 50,015 | $60,415 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 169 | $65,480 | 0.47 |
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 Allen County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Allen County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Allen County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Allen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 100,881 | ▼ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Auglaize County | 45,909 | ▲ 0.6% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 75,034 | ▼ 4.9% | 20 MW | 235 MW | — | — |
| Hardin County | 30,072 | ▼ 7.0% | 619 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 34,380 | ▲ 4.4% | 205 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Van Wert County | 29,013 | ▼ 6.3% | 903 MW | 46 MW | — | — |
More of Ohio
Allen County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Allen County, Ohio?
5 utilities have service territory in Allen County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Hancock-Wood Electric Coop Inc, Midwest Electric, Inc - (OH), Paulding-Putman Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Lima, OH in?
Lima is in Allen County, Ohio. About 34,695 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is American Township, OH in?
American Township is in Allen County, Ohio. About 14,434 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Shawnee Township, OH in?
Shawnee Township is in Allen County, Ohio. About 12,542 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Allen County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Allen County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hancock County.
Is Allen County adding jobs?
Employers counted 50,015 jobs in 2025 against 50,165 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Allen County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Allen County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.