Hampton County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hampton, Estill and Varnville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hampton County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hampton County is home to Hampton, Estill, Varnville and most of Yemassee (988 of its 1,145 residents). Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Next door, Allendale County has 1 data center. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 49 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Hampton County
Hampton County is home to Hampton, Estill, Varnville and most of Yemassee (988 of its 1,145 residents).
- Yemassee also extends into Beaufort County.
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 Hampton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,526 | 18,174 | ▼ 1.9% | 41st of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,693 | 4,677 | ▼ 0.3% | 26th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,762 | $53,306 | ▲ 27.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Palmetto Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Hampton County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.79¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.59¢ median for South Carolina utilities. Employers here counted 4,677 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. 18,174 people live here, down 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Hampton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hampton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palmetto Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 68,338 | 12.79¢ | 30% |
| Edisto Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,421 | 16.40¢ | 15% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 49 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estill Solar | Estill Solar I, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2017 |
| Hampton Solar 2 | Hampton Solar II, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2017 |
| Hampton Solar I | SunStrong Management | Solar | 7 MW | 2017 |
| SCE&G Curie CSG | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
The Hampton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,677 | $53,306 | 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 Hampton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hampton County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Beaufort County, Colleton County, Jasper County.
Hampton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hampton County, Effingham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampton County | 18,174 | ▼ 0.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Allendale County | 7,355 | ▼ 8.0% | 121 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Bamberg County | 12,796 | ▼ 2.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaufort County | 204,433 | ▲ 5.0% | 229 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Colleton County | 39,382 | ▼ 5.7% | 2 MW | 75 MW | — | 3 |
| Effingham County GA | 74,397 | ▲ 34.9% | 2,956 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Jasper County | 38,533 | ▲ 12.6% | 1,158 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Screven County GA | 14,408 | ▼ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Hampton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hampton County, South Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Hampton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Palmetto Electric Coop Inc, Edisto Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Palmetto Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 12.79¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hampton County?
4 operating plants with 49 MW of capacity. The largest is Estill Solar (20 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Hampton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hampton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Allendale County.
Is Hampton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,677 jobs in 2025 against 4,693 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hampton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hampton County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.