Athens County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Athens Township, Athens and York Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Athens County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Athens County is home to Athens Township, Athens, York Township and Nelsonville. Construction employs 625, down 13.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 21,434 jobs in 2025, up 2.3% from 2019. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Athens County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Athens County
Athens County is home to Athens Township, Athens, York Township and Nelsonville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hockingport, Millfield, New Marshfield, Stewart, The Plains.
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 Athens County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 62,386 | 63,197 | ▲ 1.3% | 41st of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,952 | 21,434 | ▲ 2.3% | 35th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,727 | $50,985 | ▲ 19.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 725 | 625 | ▼ 13.8% | 49th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.5% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
63,197 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Athens County
Utilities with service territory in Athens 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% |
| Buckeye Rural Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,349 | 19.90¢ | 8% |
| Village of Glouster - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Washington Electric Coop - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Athens County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Athens County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,434 | $50,985 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 625 | $63,605 | 0.55 |
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 Athens County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Athens County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Athens County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Athens County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County | 63,197 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Hocking County | 27,512 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Meigs County | 21,587 | ▼ 6.2% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Morgan County | 13,626 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 35,918 | ▼ 5.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Vinton County | 12,645 | ▼ 3.6% | 978 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 58,389 | ▲ 0.1% | 1,636 MW | — | — | — |
| Wood County WV | 82,385 | ▼ 0.8% | 42 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Athens County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Athens County, Ohio?
4 utilities have service territory in Athens County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Buckeye Rural Elec Coop, Inc, Village of Glouster - (OH), Washington Electric Coop - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Athens Township, OH in?
Athens Township is in Athens County, Ohio. About 31,531 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Athens, OH in?
Athens is in Athens County, Ohio. About 25,313 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Athens County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Athens County.
Is Athens County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,434 jobs in 2025 against 20,952 in 2019 (+2.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 725 to 625.
Does Athens County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Athens County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.