Forest County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jenks Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Forest County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Forest County is home to Jenks Township and Tionesta Township. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 7.1% in 2019. Next door, Clarion County has 1 data center. 20 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 1,895 jobs in 2025, down 4.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Forest County
Forest County is home to Jenks Township and Tionesta Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Marienville.
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 Forest County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,972 | 6,614 | ▼ 5.1% | 65th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,976 | 1,895 | ▼ 4.1% | 44th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,829 | $58,939 | ▲ 28.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.1% | 5.3% | ▼ 1.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Forest County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. 6,614 people live here, down 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Forest County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Forest 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) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Warren Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Solar, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 20 MW | 2025 |
The Forest County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,895 | $58,939 | 1.00 |
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 Forest County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Forest County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide.
Forest County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Forest County, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest County | 6,614 | ▼ 4.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarion County | 36,680 | ▼ 4.6% | 30 MW | 5 MW | 1 | — |
| Elk County | 29,926 | ▼ 10.4% | 54 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 43,255 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Venango County | 49,346 | ▼ 10.1% | 409 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 37,038 | ▼ 10.1% | 491 MW | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Forest County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Forest County, Pennsylvania?
4 utilities have service territory in Forest County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Central Electric Coop, Inc - (PA), United Electric Coop, Inc - (PA), Warren Electric Coop Inc. The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Forest County?
1 operating plant with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Cobalt Solar, LLC (20 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Forest County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Forest County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clarion County.
Is Forest County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,895 jobs in 2025 against 1,976 in 2019 (-4.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Forest County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Forest County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.