Bamberg County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Denmark and Bamberg
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bamberg County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bamberg County is home to Denmark and Bamberg. Next door, Allendale County has 1 data center. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Employers here counted 3,560 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Bamberg County
Bamberg County is home to Denmark and Bamberg.
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 Bamberg County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,259 | 12,796 | ▼ 3.5% | 44th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,668 | 3,560 | ▼ 2.9% | 31st of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,024 | $48,357 | ▲ 38.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 5.3% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Edisto Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Bamberg County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.40¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. 12,796 people live here, down 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Bamberg County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bamberg County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,421 | 16.40¢ | 15% |
| Bamberg Board of Public Works | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coastal Electric Coop, Inc - (SC) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denmark Solar | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 6 MW | 2020 |
The Bamberg County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,560 | $48,357 | 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 Bamberg County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bamberg County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Colleton County, Orangeburg County.
Bamberg County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Bamberg County, Orangeburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamberg County | 12,796 | ▼ 2.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Allendale County | 7,355 | ▼ 8.0% | 121 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Barnwell County | 20,653 | ▼ 12.1% | 41 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Colleton County | 39,382 | ▼ 5.7% | 2 MW | 75 MW | — | 3 |
| Hampton County | 18,174 | ▼ 0.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Orangeburg County | 83,177 | ▼ 6.0% | 716 MW | 174 MW | — | 1 |
More of South Carolina
Bamberg County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Bamberg County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Edisto Electric Coop, Inc, Bamberg Board of Public Works, Coastal Electric Coop, Inc - (SC). The largest, Edisto Electric Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 16.40¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Bamberg County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Denmark Solar (6 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Bamberg County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bamberg County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Allendale County.
Is Bamberg County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,560 jobs in 2025 against 3,668 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bamberg County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bamberg County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.