Clarion County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clarion, Clarion Township and Washington Township
Clarion County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clarion County. Clarion County is home to Clarion, Clarion Township, Washington Township and Limestone Township. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by CVE US PA Monroe 486 LLC (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 582, down 0.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 12,338 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Clarion County
Clarion County is home to Clarion, Clarion Township, Washington Township and Limestone Township.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Crown, Leeper, Marianne, Tylersburg, Vowinckel.
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 Clarion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,200 | 36,680 | ▼ 1.4% | 57th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,937 | 12,338 | ▼ 4.6% | 47th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,563 | $49,287 | ▲ 31.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 585 | 582 | ▼ 0.5% | 42nd of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 18% of today's fleet | 24th of 31 by size |
Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 30 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 18, at an average $43,145 a year. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Clarion County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 36,680 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Clarion County
Utilities with service territory in Clarion 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% |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,629 | 17.03¢ | 22% |
| United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 30 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piney | BP Piney & Deep Creek LLC | Hydro | 30 MW | 1924 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe - PA 0486 (Acey) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Monroe 486 LLC |
| Monroe - PA 0485 (Lawrence) | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Monroe 485 LLC |
The Clarion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,338 | $49,287 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 582 | $66,715 | 0.89 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $43,145 | 0.20 |
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 Clarion County
1 data center in Clarion County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Clarion County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clarion County, Armstrong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion County | 36,680 | ▼ 4.6% | 30 MW | 5 MW | 1 | — |
| Armstrong County | 63,698 | ▼ 5.4% | 2,627 MW | 18 MW | 1 | — |
| Butler County | 200,169 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Forest County | 6,614 | ▼ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 43,255 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Venango County | 49,346 | ▼ 10.1% | 409 MW | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Clarion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarion County, Pennsylvania?
3 utilities have service territory in Clarion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA), United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA). The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clarion County?
1 operating plant with 30 MW of capacity. The largest is Piney (30 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Clarion County?
5 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is CVE US PA Monroe 486 LLC.
Are there data centers in Clarion County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clarion County.
Is Clarion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,338 jobs in 2025 against 12,937 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 585 to 582.
Does Clarion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clarion County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.