Hardin County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Savannah
Hardin 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. Hardin County is home to Savannah and Crump. Construction employs 339, down 1.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 8,351 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 312 MW of capacity, 77% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 31, at an average $59,876 a year.
Cities and towns in Hardin County
Hardin County is home to Savannah and Crump.
- Milledgeville also extends into McNairy County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Childers Hill, Counce, Morris Chapel, Nixon, Olivet, Shiloh, Walnut Grove.
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 Hardin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,948 | 27,983 | ▲ 3.8% | 55th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,976 | 8,351 | ▲ 4.7% | 50th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,920 | $52,716 | ▲ 25.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 345 | 339 | ▼ 1.7% | 49th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
City of Lexington - (TN) is the largest utility serving Hardin County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.04¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. 27,983 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Hardin County
Utilities with service territory in Hardin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Lexington - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 17,961 | 12.04¢ | 37% |
| Tennessee Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,804 | 12.41¢ | 40% |
| Pickwick Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,609 | 12.67¢ | 32% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 240 MW | 77% |
| Other technologies | 72 MW | 23% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickwick Landing Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 240 MW | 1938 |
| Packaging Corp of America | Packaging Corp of America | Other technologies | 72 MW | 1985 |
The Hardin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,351 | $52,716 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 339 | $53,435 | 0.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 31 | $59,876 | 0.51 |
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 Hardin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hardin County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Hardin County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Hardin County, Lauderdale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 27,983 | ▲ 4.7% | 312 MW | — | — | — |
| Alcorn County MS | 34,569 | ▼ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Chester County | 17,994 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Decatur County | 11,820 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Henderson County | 28,518 | ▲ 1.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Lauderdale County AL | 97,135 | ▲ 4.3% | 742 MW | — | — | — |
| McNairy County | 26,236 | ▲ 5.1% | 81 MW | — | — | — |
| Tishomingo County MS | 18,639 | ▼ 2.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 16,416 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Hardin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hardin County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Hardin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Lexington - (TN), Tennessee Valley Electric Coop, Pickwick Electric Coop. The largest, City of Lexington - (TN), charged residential customers 12.04¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hardin County?
2 operating plants with 312 MW of capacity. The largest is Pickwick Landing Dam (240 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Hardin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hardin County.
Is Hardin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,351 jobs in 2025 against 7,976 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 345 to 339.
Does Hardin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hardin County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.