Gallia County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Green Township, Gallipolis Township and Springfield Township
Gallia County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Gallia County is home to Green Township, Gallipolis Township, Springfield Township and Gallipolis. Its power plants have 3,686 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the largest fleet in Ohio. Next door, Lawrence County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. Construction employs 590, up 9.1% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Gallia County
Gallia County is home to Green Township, Gallipolis Township, Springfield Township and Gallipolis.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bidwell, Kanauga.
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 Gallia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 29,226 | 29,072 | ▼ 0.5% | 73rd of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,054 | 11,333 | ▲ 2.5% | 34th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,148 | $51,312 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 541 | 590 | ▲ 9.1% | 27th of 51 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 500 | 504 | ▲ 0.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 3.9% | ▼ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 11,333 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Gallia County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. 29,072 people live here, down 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Gallia County
Utilities with service territory in Gallia 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 3,686 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin Power, LLC | Gavin Power, LLC | Coal | 2,600 MW | 1974 |
| Kyger Creek | Ohio Valley Electric Corp | Coal | 1,086 MW | 1955 |
The Gallia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,333 | $51,312 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 590 | $55,081 | 0.98 |
| Electric utilities | 504 | $131,003 | 16.43 |
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 Gallia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gallia County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Gallia County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Gallia County, Lawrence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallia County | 29,072 | ▲ 2.5% | 3,686 MW | — | — | — |
| Cabell County WV | 91,183 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 32,817 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 55,710 | ▲ 6.1% | 1,430 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Mason County WV | 24,707 | ▲ 27.7% | 1,300 MW | 29 MW | — | — |
| Meigs County | 21,587 | ▼ 6.2% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Vinton County | 12,645 | ▼ 3.6% | 978 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Gallia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gallia County, Ohio?
2 utilities have service territory in Gallia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Buckeye Rural Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gallia County?
2 operating plants with 3,686 MW of capacity. The largest is Gavin Power, LLC (2,600 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Gallia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gallia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lawrence County.
Is Gallia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,333 jobs in 2025 against 11,054 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 541 to 590.
Does Gallia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gallia County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.