Adams County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gettysburg, Conewago Township and Cumberland Township
Adams County hosts some of the generating capacity Pennsylvania runs on. Adams County is home to Gettysburg, Conewago Township, Cumberland Township and Oxford Township. Next door, York County has 1 data center. Its power plants have 1,088 MW of capacity, 88% of it natural gas. 80 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 1,561, up 0.1% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Adams County
Adams County is home to Gettysburg, Conewago Township, Cumberland Township and Oxford Township.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Aspers, Cashtown, Gardners, Hampton, Heidlersburg, Hunterstown, Idaville, Lake Heritage, Lake Meade, McKnightstown, Midway, Orrtanna, Table Rock.
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 Adams County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 103,814 | 107,594 | ▲ 3.6% | 31st of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 35,152 | 33,249 | ▼ 5.4% | 51st of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,359 | $57,008 | ▲ 31.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,560 | 1,561 | ▲ 0.1% | 39th of 62 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 145 | 142 | ▼ 2.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 80 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 33,249 jobs in 2025, down 5.4% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 142, down 2.1% since 2019 against up 5.3% statewide, at an average $61,997 a year. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Adams County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 107,594 people live here, up 3.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Who powers Adams County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +80 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Adams County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,802,612 | 17.37¢ | 16% |
| Adams Electric Cooperative Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 32,231 | 14.42¢ | 15% |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 958 MW | 88% |
| Solar | 80 MW | 7% |
| Petroleum | 47 MW | 4% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunterstown Power Plant | Hunterstown Generation, LLC | Natural gas | 898 MW | 2003 |
| Adams Solar LLC PA | Adams Solar LLC (PA) | Solar | 80 MW | 2023 |
| Hunterstown | Hunterstown Power, LLC | Natural gas | 60 MW | 1971 |
| Orrtanna | Orrtanna Power, LLC | Petroleum | 27 MW | 1971 |
| Hamilton (PA) | Hamilton Power, LLC | Petroleum | 20 MW | 1971 |
| Gettysburg Energy & Nutrient Rec Facilit | Gettysburg Energy and Nutrient Rec Facility LLC | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2013 |
The Adams County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 33,249 | $57,008 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,561 | $77,297 | 0.89 |
| Electrical contractors | 142 | $61,997 | 0.59 |
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 Adams County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Adams County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Carroll County, Frederick County.
Adams County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Adams County, York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 107,594 | ▼ 5.4% | 1,088 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County MD | 176,677 | ▲ 1.3% | 16 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cumberland County | 277,270 | ▲ 1.0% | 74 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Franklin County | 160,652 | ▲ 2.4% | 518 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Frederick County MD | 302,883 | ▲ 1.7% | 87 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| York County | 473,197 | ▲ 1.3% | 6,218 MW | 157 MW | 1 | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Adams County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Adams County, Pennsylvania?
2 utilities have service territory in Adams County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Adams Electric Cooperative Inc. The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Adams County?
6 operating plants with 1,088 MW of capacity. The largest is Hunterstown Power Plant (898 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Adams County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Adams County. The nearest activity on record is next door in York County.
Is Adams County adding jobs?
Employers counted 33,249 jobs in 2025 against 35,152 in 2019 (-5.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,560 to 1,561.
Does Adams County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Adams County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.