Morrow County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gilead Township, Mount Gilead and Bennington Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Morrow County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Morrow County is home to Gilead Township, Mount Gilead, Bennington Township and Cardington Township. Construction employs 425, up 16.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Delaware County has 4 data centers. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 5,310 jobs in 2025, down 2.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Morrow County
Morrow County is home to Gilead Township, Mount Gilead, Bennington Township and Cardington Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Candlewood Lake, Hidden Lakes, Iberia.
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 Morrow County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 34,996 | 36,305 | ▲ 3.7% | 68th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,448 | 5,310 | ▼ 2.5% | 62nd of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,638 | $47,379 | ▲ 29.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 365 | 425 | ▲ 16.4% | 22nd of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Morrow County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. 36,305 people live here, up 3.7% since 2020.
Who powers Morrow County
Utilities with service territory in Morrow 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% |
| Consolidated Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,897 | 16.11¢ | 24% |
| City of Galion | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mid-Ohio Energy Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Morrow County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Morrow County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,310 | $47,379 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 425 | $59,194 | 1.51 |
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 Morrow County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Morrow County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Morrow County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Morrow County, Delaware 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrow County | 36,305 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 41,896 | ▼ 1.6% | 172 MW | — | — | — |
| Delaware County | 242,032 | ▲ 11.4% | 1 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Knox County | 64,002 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 65,115 | ▼ 5.9% | 114 MW | — | — | — |
| Richland County | 124,893 | ▼ 3.1% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Morrow County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morrow County, Ohio?
5 utilities have service territory in Morrow County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Ohio Edison Co, Consolidated Cooperative, City of Galion. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Morrow County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morrow County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Delaware County.
Is Morrow County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,310 jobs in 2025 against 5,448 in 2019 (-2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 365 to 425.
Does Morrow County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Morrow County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.