Pike County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pee Pee Township, Waverly and Seal Township
Pike 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. Pike County is home to Pee Pee Township, Waverly, Seal Township and Pebble Township. Construction employs 453, up 23.8% since 2019. Next door, Highland County has 200 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 10,637 jobs in 2025, up 9.8% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 88 Ohio counties).
Cities and towns in Pike County
Pike County is home to Pee Pee Township, Waverly, Seal Township and Pebble Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cynthiana, Stockdale.
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 Pike County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,064 | 27,061 | ● 0.0% | 79th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,689 | 10,637 | ▲ 9.8% | 10th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,990 | $62,949 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 366 | 453 | ▲ 23.8% | 13th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 4.6% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Pike 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. 27,061 people live here, down 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Pike County
Utilities with service territory in Pike 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% |
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 693,435 | 15.00¢ | 26% |
| South Central Power Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 117,469 | 14.87¢ | 14% |
| Buckeye Rural Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,349 | 19.90¢ | 8% |
| Adams Rural Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ohio Valley Electric Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | — | — | 0% |
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 Pike County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Pike County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,637 | $62,949 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 453 | $82,252 | 0.80 |
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 Pike County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pike County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Adams County, Highland County.
Pike County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Pike County, Highland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 27,061 | ▲ 9.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 27,865 | ▲ 17.4% | — | — | — | 2 |
| Highland County | 43,823 | ▲ 3.5% | 667 MW | 200 MW | — | 1 |
| Jackson County | 32,817 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Ross County | 76,429 | ▼ 2.6% | 582 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
| Scioto County | 71,365 | ▲ 7.1% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Pike County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pike County, Ohio?
6 utilities have service territory in Pike County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Duke Energy Ohio Inc, South Central Power Company, Buckeye Rural Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Pike County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pike County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Highland County.
Is Pike County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,637 jobs in 2025 against 9,689 in 2019 (+9.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 366 to 453.
Does Pike County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pike County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.