Noble County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Olive Township, Noble Township and Caldwell
Noble County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Noble County is home to Olive Township, Noble Township, Caldwell and Center Township. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 7.4% in 2019. Next door, Monroe County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 3,023 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Noble 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.
Cities and towns in Noble County
Noble County is home to Olive Township, Noble Township, Caldwell and Center Township.
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 Noble County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,098 | 14,276 | ▲ 1.3% | 84th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,973 | 3,023 | ▲ 1.7% | 40th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,073 | $52,830 | ▲ 31.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.4% | 4.5% | ▼ 2.9pts | — |
14,276 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Noble County
Utilities with service territory in Noble 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% |
| South Central Power Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 117,469 | 14.87¢ | 14% |
| Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,289 | 18.00¢ | 19% |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Noble County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Noble County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,023 | $52,830 | 1.00 |
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 Noble County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Noble County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Noble County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Noble County, Guernsey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble County | 14,276 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Belmont County | 64,434 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Guernsey County | 38,379 | ▼ 2.6% | 2,055 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 12,994 | ▼ 5.9% | 530 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Morgan County | 13,626 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Muskingum County | 87,014 | ▲ 7.6% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 58,389 | ▲ 0.1% | 1,636 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Noble County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Noble County, Ohio?
4 utilities have service territory in Noble County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, South Central Power Company, Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc, Washington Electric Coop - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Noble County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Noble County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Monroe County.
Is Noble County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,023 jobs in 2025 against 2,973 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Noble County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Noble County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.