Guernsey County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cambridge Township, Cambridge and Jackson Township
Guernsey County hosts some of the generating capacity Ohio runs on. Guernsey County is home to Cambridge Township, Cambridge, Jackson Township and Byesville. 2,055 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Construction employs 498, down 28.7% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019. Next door, Coshocton County has 1 data center.
Cities and towns in Guernsey County
Guernsey County is home to Cambridge Township, Cambridge, Jackson Township and Byesville.
And 4 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Buffalo, Kimbolton, Salesville.
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 Guernsey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 38,426 | 38,379 | ▼ 0.1% | 64th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,145 | 14,750 | ▼ 2.6% | 63rd of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,194 | $54,465 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 698 | 498 | ▼ 28.7% | 50th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 3.8% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2,055 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2,055 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 3rd largest fleet in Ohio. Employers here counted 14,750 jobs in 2025, down 2.6% from 2019. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Guernsey 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. 38,379 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Guernsey County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2,055 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Guernsey 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% |
| Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,289 | 18.00¢ | 19% |
| Frontier Power Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,055 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guernsey Power Station | Guernsey Power Station LLC | Natural gas | 2,055 MW | 2023 |
The Guernsey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,750 | $54,465 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 498 | $82,065 | 0.64 |
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 Guernsey County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Guernsey County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Harrison County.
Guernsey County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Guernsey County, Muskingum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guernsey County | 38,379 | ▼ 2.6% | 2,055 MW | — | — | — |
| Belmont County | 64,434 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Coshocton County | 37,188 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Harrison County | 14,070 | ▲ 6.2% | — | 100 MW | — | 1 |
| Muskingum County | 87,014 | ▲ 7.6% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
| Noble County | 14,276 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Tuscarawas County | 92,373 | ▲ 1.3% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Guernsey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Guernsey County, Ohio?
4 utilities have service territory in Guernsey County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc, Frontier Power Company, Washington Electric Coop - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cambridge Township, OH in?
Cambridge Township is in Guernsey County, Ohio. About 13,836 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Cambridge, OH in?
Cambridge is in Guernsey County, Ohio. About 10,055 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Guernsey County?
1 operating plant with 2,055 MW of capacity. The largest is Guernsey Power Station (2,055 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Guernsey County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Guernsey County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Coshocton County.
Is Guernsey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,750 jobs in 2025 against 15,145 in 2019 (-2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 698 to 498.
Does Guernsey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Guernsey County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.