Perry County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pike Township, Harrison Township and Thorn Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Perry County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Perry County is home to Pike Township, Harrison Township, Thorn Township and New Lexington. Next door, Licking County has 32 data centers and 350 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 404, up 7.7% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 6,295 jobs in 2025, down 5.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Perry County
Perry County is home to Pike Township, Harrison Township, Thorn Township and New Lexington.
And 1 smaller places.
- Roseville also extends into Muskingum County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rose Farm, Thornport.
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 Perry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 35,459 | 35,918 | ▲ 1.3% | 69th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,634 | 6,295 | ▼ 5.1% | 77th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,394 | $52,912 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 375 | 404 | ▲ 7.7% | 32nd of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 3.9% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Perry 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. 35,918 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Perry County
Utilities with service territory in Perry 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% |
| Licking Rural Electric Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,820 | 16.88¢ | 7% |
| Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,289 | 18.00¢ | 19% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban Landfill Gas Recovery | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2011 |
The Perry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,295 | $52,912 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 404 | $128,993 | 1.21 |
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 Perry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Perry County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Perry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Perry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 35,918 | ▼ 5.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Athens County | 63,197 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Fairfield County | 169,752 | ▲ 9.1% | — | 220 MW | 3 | — |
| Hocking County | 27,512 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Licking County | 185,564 | ▲ 18.7% | 3 MW | 350 MW | 32 | — |
| Morgan County | 13,626 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Muskingum County | 87,014 | ▲ 7.6% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Perry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Perry County, Ohio?
4 utilities have service territory in Perry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, South Central Power Company, Licking Rural Electric Inc, Guernsey-Muskingum El Coop Inc. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Perry County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Suburban Landfill Gas Recovery (6 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Perry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Perry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Licking County.
Is Perry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,295 jobs in 2025 against 6,634 in 2019 (-5.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 375 to 404.
Does Perry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Perry County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.