Gibson County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Milan, Humboldt and Medina
No data center or power plant project is on record in Gibson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 1,092, up 40.5% since 2019. Gibson County is home to Milan, Humboldt, Medina and Trenton. Electrical contractors employ 77, up 57.1% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $52,107 a year. 3 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SR Milan, LLC (solar). Employers here counted 16,381 jobs in 2025, up 12.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Gibson County
Gibson County is home to Milan, Humboldt, Medina and Trenton.
- Kenton also extends into Obion 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 Gibson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,443 | 51,779 | ▲ 2.6% | 33rd of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,583 | 16,381 | ▲ 12.3% | 18th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,419 | $51,266 | ▲ 33.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 777 | 1,092 | ▲ 40.5% | 18th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 49 | 77 | ▲ 57.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 3 MW | 39% of today's fleet | 12th of 12 by size |
7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Gibson Electric Members Corp is the largest utility serving Gibson County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.00¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 51,779 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Gibson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Gibson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibson Electric Members Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,331 | 13.00¢ | 26% |
| Weakley County Mun Elec Sys | Municipal | Bundled | 15,315 | 11.29¢ | 41% |
| City of Milan - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 6,902 | 12.09¢ | 34% |
| City of Humboldt | Municipal | Bundled | 3,529 | 11.36¢ | 29% |
| City of Trenton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 1,956 | 12.88¢ | 48% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR South Gibson | SR South Gibson, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| SR Trenton | SR Trenton, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Milan | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Approvals received | 2028 | SR Milan, LLC |
The Gibson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,381 | $51,266 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,092 | $67,592 | 1.26 |
| Electrical contractors | 77 | $52,107 | 0.65 |
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 Gibson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gibson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Gibson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Gibson County, Weakley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibson County | 51,779 | ▲ 12.3% | 7 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Carroll County | 29,200 | ▲ 12.5% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Crockett County | 14,006 | ▲ 2.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Dyer County | 36,320 | ▲ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 100,790 | ▲ 2.7% | 87 MW | 42 MW | — | — |
| Obion County | 30,067 | ▲ 9.0% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Weakley County | 33,261 | ▼ 3.2% | 568 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Gibson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gibson County, Tennessee?
5 utilities have service territory in Gibson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Gibson Electric Members Corp, Weakley County Mun Elec Sys, City of Milan - (TN), City of Humboldt. The largest, Gibson Electric Members Corp, charged residential customers 13.00¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gibson County?
2 operating plants with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is SR South Gibson (5 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Gibson County?
3 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SR Milan, LLC.
Are there data centers in Gibson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gibson County.
Is Gibson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,381 jobs in 2025 against 14,583 in 2019 (+12.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 777 to 1,092.
Does Gibson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gibson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.