Preble County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Eaton, Harrison Township and Gratis Township
Preble County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Preble County is home to Eaton, Harrison Township, Gratis Township and Gasper Township. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including PRSM Preble County. Construction employs 438, up 9.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 11,523 jobs in 2025, up 8.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Preble County
Preble County is home to Eaton, Harrison Township, Gratis Township and Gasper Township.
- College Corner also extends into Butler County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lake Lakengren.
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 Preble County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,007 | 40,664 | ▼ 0.8% | 61st of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,632 | 11,523 | ▲ 8.4% | 13th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,132 | $54,637 | ▲ 32.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 400 | 438 | ▲ 9.5% | 26th of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.2% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Duke Energy Ohio Inc is the largest utility serving Preble County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.00¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. 40,664 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Preble County
Utilities with service territory in Preble County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Ohio Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 693,435 | 15.00¢ | 26% |
| Dayton Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 478,741 | 15.32¢ | 20% |
| Butler Rural Electric Coop Inc - (OH) | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,374 | 18.16¢ | 7% |
| Darke Rural Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Eldorado - (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 Preble County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Preble County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,523 | $54,637 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 438 | $58,384 | 0.72 |
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 Preble County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRSM Preble County | denied | — |
Preble County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Preble County, Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preble County | 40,664 | ▲ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Butler County | 400,128 | ▲ 3.6% | 2,084 MW | 10 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Darke County | 51,520 | ▲ 0.3% | 248 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 539,598 | ▼ 1.5% | 855 MW | 108 MW | 5 | 1 |
| Union County IN | 6,863 | ▲ 23.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County IN | 66,169 | ▼ 3.1% | 225 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Preble County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Preble County, Ohio?
5 utilities have service territory in Preble County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Ohio Inc, Dayton Power & Light Co, Butler Rural Electric Coop Inc - (OH), Darke Rural Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Ohio Inc, charged residential customers 15.00¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Preble County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Preble County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montgomery County.
Is Preble County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,523 jobs in 2025 against 10,632 in 2019 (+8.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 400 to 438.
Does Preble County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Preble County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.