Knox County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mount Vernon, Howard Township and Hilliar Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Knox County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Knox County is home to Mount Vernon, Howard Township, Hilliar Township and Clinton Township. Construction employs 1,327, up 20.3% since 2019. Next door, Licking County has 32 data centers and 350 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 81, at an average $53,949 a year.
Cities and towns in Knox County
Knox County is home to Mount Vernon, Howard Township, Hilliar Township and Clinton Township.
And 5 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Apple Valley, Bladensburg, Howard, South Mount Vernon.
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 Knox County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 62,804 | 64,002 | ▲ 1.9% | 39th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,361 | 20,365 | ● 0.0% | 50th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,787 | $57,796 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,103 | 1,327 | ▲ 20.3% | 16th of 51 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76 | 130 | ▲ 71.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Knox County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Employers here counted 20,365 jobs in 2025, unchanged from 2019. 64,002 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Knox County
Utilities with service territory in Knox 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% |
| Ohio Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 957,780 | 16.18¢ | 18% |
| Licking Rural Electric Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,820 | 16.88¢ | 7% |
| Consolidated Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,897 | 16.11¢ | 24% |
| Holmes-Wayne Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,714 | 16.52¢ | 28% |
| Frontier Power Company | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Knox County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Knox County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,365 | $57,796 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,327 | $83,864 | 1.23 |
| Electrical contractors | 81 | $53,949 | 0.55 |
| Power and communication line construction | 130 | $78,407 | 3.95 |
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 Knox County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Knox County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Knox County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Knox County, Licking 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 64,002 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Ashland County | 52,523 | ▼ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Coshocton County | 37,188 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Delaware County | 242,032 | ▲ 11.4% | 1 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Holmes County | 44,970 | ▲ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Licking County | 185,564 | ▲ 18.7% | 3 MW | 350 MW | 32 | — |
| Morrow County | 36,305 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Richland County | 124,893 | ▼ 3.1% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Knox County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Knox County, Ohio?
6 utilities have service territory in Knox County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Ohio Edison Co, Licking Rural Electric Inc, Consolidated Cooperative. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Mount Vernon, OH in?
Mount Vernon is in Knox County, Ohio. About 17,287 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Knox County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Knox County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Licking County.
Is Knox County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,365 jobs in 2025 against 20,361 in 2019 (+0.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,103 to 1,327.
Does Knox County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Knox County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.