Stark County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Canton, Plain Township and Jackson Township
Stark County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. Electrical contractors employ 2,000, up 106.4% since 2019 against up 37.0% statewide, at an average $103,472 a year. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Stark County. Stark County is home to Canton, Plain Township, Jackson Township and Massillon. 150 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC (solar). Construction employs 8,645, up 13.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Stark County
Stark County is home to Canton, Plain Township, Jackson Township and Massillon.
And 11 smaller places.
- Minerva also extends into Carroll County.
- Magnolia also extends into Carroll County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bolton, Greentown, Harrisburg, Limaville, Marlboro, Middlebranch, North Industry, North Lawrence, Perry Heights, Reedurban, Richville, Robertsville, Uniontown.
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 Stark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 374,476 | 373,771 | ▼ 0.2% | 8th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 159,294 | 157,374 | ▼ 1.2% | 55th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,309 | $57,361 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,606 | 8,645 | ▲ 13.7% | 24th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 969 | 2,000 | ▲ 106.4% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 307 | 266 | ▼ 13.4% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 37 | 74 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 150 MW | 7895% of today's fleet | 12th of 22 by size |
Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Stark County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Employers here counted 157,374 jobs in 2025, down 1.2% from 2019. 373,771 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020, 8th of 88 Ohio counties by population.
Who powers Stark County
Utilities with service territory in Stark 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% |
| Holmes-Wayne Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,714 | 16.52¢ | 28% |
| City of Orrville - (OH) | Municipal | Bundled | 6,314 | 10.96¢ | 23% |
| Village of Beach City - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Brewster - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Carroll Electric Coop, Inc - (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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DG AMP Solar Brewster | DG AMP Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC |
The Stark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 157,374 | $57,361 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 8,645 | $86,669 | 1.04 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,000 | $103,472 | 1.76 |
| Electric utilities | 266 | $121,634 | 0.62 |
| Data processing and hosting | 74 | $119,751 | 0.15 |
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 Stark County
4 data centers in Stark County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Stark County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Stark County, Summit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County | 373,771 | ▼ 1.2% | 2 MW | 150 MW | 4 | — |
| Carroll County | 26,475 | ▼ 2.4% | 832 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbiana County | 99,377 | ▼ 4.6% | 1,210 MW | — | — | — |
| Holmes County | 44,970 | ▲ 10.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Mahoning County | 224,706 | ▼ 4.5% | 4 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Portage County | 163,404 | ▲ 3.0% | 21 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Summit County | 538,376 | ▼ 2.8% | 20 MW | — | 7 | — |
| Tuscarawas County | 92,373 | ▲ 1.3% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 116,758 | ▼ 2.4% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Stark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stark County, Ohio?
7 utilities have service territory in Stark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Ohio Edison Co, Holmes-Wayne Electric Coop Inc, City of Orrville - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Canton, OH in?
Canton is in Stark County, Ohio. About 69,001 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Plain Township, OH in?
Plain Township is in Stark County, Ohio. About 53,501 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Jackson Township, OH in?
Jackson Township is in Stark County, Ohio. About 43,403 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Stark County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is DG AMP Solar Brewster (2 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Stark County?
150 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Samsung C&T Renewables, LLC.
Are there data centers in Stark County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Stark County.
Is Stark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 157,374 jobs in 2025 against 159,294 in 2019 (-1.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,606 to 8,645.
Does Stark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stark County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.