Aiken County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aiken, North Augusta and Burnettown
Aiken County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Aiken County, 9% of South Carolina's total. Aiken County is home to Aiken, North Augusta, Burnettown and New Ellenton. Construction employs 6,287, up 17.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 66,800 jobs in 2025, up 8.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Aiken County
Aiken County is home to Aiken, North Augusta, Burnettown and New Ellenton.
- North Augusta also extends into Edgefield County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beech Island, Belvedere, Clearwater, Gloverville, Graniteville, Langley, Warrenville.
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 Aiken County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 169,170 | 181,515 | ▲ 7.3% | 11th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 61,475 | 66,800 | ▲ 8.7% | 13th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,965 | $65,945 | ▲ 29.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,371 | 6,287 | ▲ 17.1% | 12th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 259 | 233 | ▼ 10.0% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39 | 231 | ▲ 492.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.2% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 75 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 855 MW of capacity, 89% of it natural gas. 75 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc is the largest utility serving Aiken County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024. 181,515 people live here, up 7.3% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 233, down 10.0% since 2019 against up 10.4% statewide, at an average $55,317 a year.
Who powers Aiken County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +75 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Aiken County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 696,385 | 14.59¢ | 36% |
| Mid-Carolina Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 56,463 | 14.88¢ | 22% |
| Aiken Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 49,460 | 15.53¢ | 14% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 759 MW | 89% |
| Solar | 75 MW | 9% |
| Other technologies | 21 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urquhart | Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc | Natural gas | 759 MW | 1953 |
| Shaw Creek Solar, LLC | Shaw Creek Solar | Solar | 75 MW | 2019 |
| Savannah River Site Biomass Cogen | Ameresco | Other technologies | 21 MW | 2012 |
The Aiken County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 66,800 | $65,945 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,287 | $92,661 | 1.78 |
| Electrical contractors | 233 | $55,317 | 0.48 |
| Power and communication line construction | 231 | $93,028 | 2.14 |
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 Aiken County
3 data centers in Aiken County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Aiken County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Aiken County, Burke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken County | 181,515 | ▲ 8.7% | 855 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Barnwell County | 20,653 | ▼ 12.1% | 41 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Burke County GA | 24,408 | ▼ 46.9% | 5,166 MW | 76 MW | — | — |
| Edgefield County | 29,808 | ▲ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Lexington County | 317,588 | ▲ 9.9% | 708 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
| Richmond County GA | 206,559 | ▼ 0.5% | 128 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Saluda County | 19,680 | ▼ 5.2% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Aiken County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Aiken County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Aiken County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, Mid-Carolina Electric Coop Inc, Aiken Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Dominion Energy South Carolina, Inc, charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Aiken, SC in?
Aiken is in Aiken County, South Carolina. About 33,808 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is North Augusta, SC in?
North Augusta is in Aiken County, South Carolina. About 26,677 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Aiken County?
3 operating plants with 855 MW of capacity. The largest is Urquhart (759 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Aiken County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Aiken County.
Is Aiken County adding jobs?
Employers counted 66,800 jobs in 2025 against 61,475 in 2019 (+8.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,371 to 6,287.
Does Aiken County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Aiken County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.