Hamilton County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cincinnati and Green Township, and the communities of Forestville
The data center boom is not abstract in Hamilton County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 13 data centers in Hamilton County, 7% of Ohio's total. Hamilton County is home to Cincinnati, Green Township, Colerain Township and Anderson Township, plus the unincorporated community of Forestville. Its power plants have 1,238 MW of capacity, 90% of it coal, the 10th largest fleet in Ohio. Construction employs 24,066, up 6.3% since 2019. 20 MW has retired here since 2019, including Procter & Gamble Cincinnati Plant (natural gas, 12 MW, 2024).
Cities and towns in Hamilton County
Hamilton County is home to Cincinnati, Green Township, Colerain Township and Anderson Township, plus the unincorporated community of Forestville.
And 16 smaller places.
- Sharonville also extends into Butler County.
- Loveland also extends into Clermont County, Warren County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Forestville, Blue Jay, Brecon, Bridgetown, Camp Dennison, Cherry Grove, Coldstream, Concorde Hills, Covedale, Delhi Hills, Delshire, Dent, Dillonvale, Dry Ridge, Dry Run, Dunlap, Elizabethtown, Finneytown, Fruit Hill, Grandview, Groesbeck, Highpoint, Hooven, Kenwood, Loveland Park, Mack, Madison Place, Miami Heights, Miamitown, Monfort Heights, Mount Healthy Heights, New Baltimore, New Burlington, New Haven, Northbrook, Northgate, Plainville, Pleasant Hills, Pleasant Run, Pleasant Run Farm and 11 more.
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 Hamilton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 830,412 | 838,418 | ▲ 1.0% | 3rd of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 520,766 | 514,266 | ▼ 1.2% | 56th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $63,271 | $78,931 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22,649 | 24,066 | ▲ 6.3% | 33rd of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,460 | 3,526 | ▲ 1.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 546 | 310 | ▼ 43.2% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,274 | 1,210 | ▼ 5.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 769 | 1,169 | ▲ 52.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.7% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — |
5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly petroleum. Electrical contractors employ 3,526, up 1.9% since 2019 against up 37.0% statewide, at an average $80,200 a year. Duke Energy Ohio Inc is the largest utility serving Hamilton County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.00¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Employers here counted 514,266 jobs in 2025, down 1.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 838,418 people live here, up 1.0% since 2020, 3rd of 88 Ohio counties by population.
Who powers Hamilton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −15 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hamilton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 693,435 | 15.00¢ | 26% |
| Butler Rural Electric Coop Inc - (OH) | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,374 | 18.16¢ | 7% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,115 MW | 90% |
| Petroleum | 74 MW | 6% |
| Natural gas | 45 MW | 4% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Fort | Luminant Miami Fort | Petroleum | 1,181 MW | 1971 |
| Central Utility Plant Cincinnati | University of Cincinnati | Natural gas | 47 MW | 2004 |
| East Campus Utility Plant | University of Cincinnati | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2006 |
| Parking Lot Array | Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | Solar | 4 MW | 2011 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procter & Gamble Cincinnati Plant | Natural gas | 12 MW | 2024 |
| Willey Battery Utility | Battery storage | 6 MW | 2025 |
| East Campus Utility Plant | Natural gas | 1 MW | 2024 |
The Hamilton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 514,266 | $78,931 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 24,066 | $85,770 | 0.88 |
| Electrical contractors | 3,526 | $80,200 | 0.95 |
| Power and communication line construction | 310 | $72,289 | 0.37 |
| Electric utilities | 1,210 | $122,767 | 0.87 |
| Data processing and hosting | 1,169 | $117,928 | 0.73 |
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 Hamilton County
13 data centers in Hamilton County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Hamilton County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Hamilton County, Butler 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | 838,418 | ▼ 1.2% | 1,238 MW | — | 13 | — |
| Boone County KY | 145,316 | ▲ 10.6% | 780 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Butler County | 400,128 | ▲ 3.6% | 2,084 MW | 10 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Campbell County KY | 95,441 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Clermont County | 216,977 | ▲ 5.6% | 84 MW | — | — | — |
| Dearborn County IN | 51,609 | ▲ 4.7% | 1,232 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Franklin County IN | 23,286 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kenton County KY | 175,779 | ▲ 10.9% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 257,181 | ▲ 5.5% | 20 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
More of Ohio
Hamilton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hamilton County, Ohio?
2 utilities have service territory in Hamilton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Ohio Inc, Butler Rural Electric Coop Inc - (OH). The largest, Duke Energy Ohio Inc, charged residential customers 15.00¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cincinnati, OH in?
Cincinnati is in Hamilton County, Ohio. About 314,367 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Green Township, OH in?
Green Township is in Hamilton County, Ohio. About 60,480 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Colerain Township, OH in?
Colerain Township is in Hamilton County, Ohio. About 59,509 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Hamilton County?
4 operating plants with 1,238 MW of capacity. The largest is Miami Fort (1,181 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Hamilton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 13 data centers in Hamilton County.
Is Hamilton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 514,266 jobs in 2025 against 520,766 in 2019 (-1.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 22,649 to 24,066.
Does Hamilton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hamilton County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.