Henderson County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lexington
Henderson 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. Henderson County is home to Lexington and most of Scotts Hill (562 of its 893 residents). 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 8,197 jobs in 2025, up 1.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Henderson County
Henderson County is home to Lexington and most of Scotts Hill (562 of its 893 residents).
- Scotts Hill also extends into Decatur County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chesterfield, Darden, Huron, Luray, Wildersville.
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 Henderson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,833 | 28,518 | ▲ 2.5% | 54th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,051 | 8,197 | ▲ 1.8% | 62nd of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,392 | $49,373 | ▲ 25.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Southwest Tennessee E M C is the largest utility serving Henderson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. 28,518 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Henderson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Henderson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Tennessee E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 43,750 | 12.90¢ | 26% |
| City of Lexington - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 17,961 | 12.04¢ | 37% |
| Carroll County - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 12,344 | 11.92¢ | 22% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Lexington | SR Lexington, LLC | Solar | 6 MW | 2025 |
The Henderson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,197 | $49,373 | 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 Henderson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Henderson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Henderson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Henderson County, Hardin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 28,518 | ▲ 1.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 29,200 | ▲ 12.5% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Chester County | 17,994 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Decatur County | 11,820 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardin County | 27,983 | ▲ 4.7% | 312 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 100,790 | ▲ 2.7% | 87 MW | 42 MW | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Henderson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Henderson County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Henderson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwest Tennessee E M C, City of Lexington - (TN), Carroll County - (TN). The largest, Southwest Tennessee E M C, charged residential customers 12.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Henderson County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is SR Lexington (6 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Henderson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Henderson County.
Is Henderson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,197 jobs in 2025 against 8,051 in 2019 (+1.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Henderson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Henderson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.