Perry County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carroll Township, Wheatfield Township and Penn Township
Perry County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Perry County is home to Carroll Township, Wheatfield Township, Penn Township and Marysville. Construction employs 784, up 21.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Dauphin County has 2 data centers. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 8,152 jobs in 2025, up 5.1% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 67 Pennsylvania counties).
Cities and towns in Perry County
Perry County is home to Carroll Township, Wheatfield Township, Penn Township and Marysville.
And 6 smaller places.
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 Perry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 45,830 | 46,806 | ▲ 2.1% | 46th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,756 | 8,152 | ▲ 5.1% | 5th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,172 | $43,788 | ▲ 28.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 646 | 784 | ▲ 21.4% | 8th of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Perry 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. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 46,806 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Perry County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Perry 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% |
| PPL Electric Utilities Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,295,883 | 16.99¢ | 19% |
| Borough of Duncannon - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool Solar Partners | Liverpool Solar Partners | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
The Perry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,152 | $43,788 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 784 | $63,767 | 1.82 |
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 Perry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Perry County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide.
Perry County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Perry County, Dauphin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 46,806 | ▲ 5.1% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 277,270 | ▲ 1.0% | 74 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Dauphin County | 293,351 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,018 MW | 2 MW | 2 | — |
| Franklin County | 160,652 | ▲ 2.4% | 518 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Juniata County | 23,403 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 83 MW | — | — |
| Northumberland County | 89,920 | ▼ 2.5% | 132 MW | 35 MW | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Perry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Perry County, Pennsylvania?
3 utilities have service territory in Perry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, PPL Electric Utilities Corp, Borough of Duncannon - (PA). The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Perry County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Liverpool Solar Partners (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Perry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Perry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dauphin County.
Is Perry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,152 jobs in 2025 against 7,756 in 2019 (+5.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 646 to 784.
Does Perry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Perry County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.