Elk County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to St. Marys, Ridgway and Fox Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Elk County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Elk County is home to St. Marys, Ridgway, Fox Township and Ridgway Township. 6 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by CVE US PA Jones 429 LLC (solar). 6 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Clearfield County has 1 data center and 667 MW of planned generation. Electrical contractors employ 57, up 26.7% since 2019 against up 5.3% statewide, at an average $78,174 a year. Employers here counted 13,101 jobs in 2025, down 10.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Elk County
Elk County is home to St. Marys, Ridgway, Fox Township and Ridgway Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Byrnedale, Force, James City, Kersey, Weedville, Wilcox.
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 Elk County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 30,940 | 29,926 | ▼ 3.3% | 59th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,620 | 13,101 | ▼ 10.4% | 63rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,439 | $54,577 | ▲ 22.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 498 | 512 | ▲ 2.8% | 32nd of 62 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 45 | 57 | ▲ 26.7% | — |
| 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) | — | 6 MW | 11% of today's fleet | 23rd of 31 by size |
Construction employs 512, up 2.8% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 54 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Elk 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. 29,926 people live here, down 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Elk County
Utilities with service territory in Elk 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% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 54 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnsonburg Mill | Domtar LLC | Other technologies | 54 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones - PA 0429 (Rhodes South) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Jones 429 LLC |
| Jones - PA 0399 (Rhodes) | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | CVE US PA Jones 399 LLC |
The Elk County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,101 | $54,577 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 512 | $66,692 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 57 | $78,174 | 0.60 |
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 Elk County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Elk County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide.
Elk County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Elk County, Clearfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County | 29,926 | ▼ 10.4% | 54 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Cameron County | 4,211 | ▼ 23.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Clearfield County | 78,100 | ▼ 3.0% | 672 MW | 667 MW | 1 | — |
| Forest County | 6,614 | ▼ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 43,255 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| McKean County | 38,984 | ▼ 5.8% | — | 123 MW | — | — |
| Warren County | 37,038 | ▼ 10.1% | 491 MW | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Elk County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Elk County, Pennsylvania?
2 utilities have service territory in Elk County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA). The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is St. Marys, PA in?
St. Marys is in Elk County, Pennsylvania. About 12,253 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Elk County?
1 operating plant with 54 MW of capacity. The largest is Johnsonburg Mill (54 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Elk County?
6 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 6 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is CVE US PA Jones 429 LLC.
Are there data centers in Elk County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Elk County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clearfield County.
Is Elk County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,101 jobs in 2025 against 14,620 in 2019 (-10.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 498 to 512.
Does Elk County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Elk County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.