Baldwin County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Daphne, Foley and Fairhope
Baldwin County supplies the labor the power build-out runs on. Construction employs 6,274, up 44.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Baldwin County is home to Daphne, Foley, Fairhope and Gulf Shores. 80 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Foley Solar, LLC (solar), the 7th largest pipeline among Alabama's counties. 80 MW of it is already under construction or built. Electrical contractors employ 693, up 35.1% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $63,797 a year. Employers here counted 87,943 jobs in 2025, up 15.1% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 67 Alabama counties).
Cities and towns in Baldwin County
Baldwin County is home to Daphne, Foley, Fairhope and Gulf Shores.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bon Secour, Lillian, Perdido, Point Clear, Stapleton, Stockton.
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 Baldwin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 233,252 | 267,761 | ▲ 14.8% | 4th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76,419 | 87,943 | ▲ 15.1% | 5th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,293 | $53,357 | ▲ 39.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,340 | 6,274 | ▲ 44.6% | 8th of 41 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 513 | 693 | ▲ 35.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 115 | 432 | ▲ 275.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 80 MW | no fleet today | 7th of 11 by size |
Next door, Washington County has 438 MW of planned generation. 267,761 people live here, up 14.8% since 2020, 4th of 67 Alabama counties by population. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Baldwin County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019.
Who powers Baldwin County
Utilities with service territory in Baldwin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,332,911 | 16.77¢ | 26% |
| Baldwin County El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 83,005 | 13.87¢ | 32% |
| Foley Board of Utilities | Municipal | Bundled | 50,954 | 13.48¢ | 36% |
| Southern Pine Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,645 | 13.90¢ | 37% |
| City of Fairhope - (AL) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Robertsdale | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Baldwin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foley Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Foley Solar, LLC |
The Baldwin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 87,943 | $53,357 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,274 | $72,808 | 1.35 |
| Electrical contractors | 693 | $63,797 | 1.09 |
| Power and communication line construction | 432 | $71,749 | 3.04 |
| Data processing and hosting | 107 | $97,076 | 0.39 |
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 Baldwin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Baldwin County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Escambia County.
Baldwin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Baldwin County, Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin County | 267,761 | ▲ 15.1% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Clarke County | 22,014 | ▼ 3.3% | 204 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Escambia County | 36,665 | ▲ 0.6% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Escambia County FL | 333,834 | ▲ 6.1% | 2,657 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mobile County | 411,658 | ▲ 1.9% | 4,003 MW | 8 MW | 1 | — |
| Monroe County | 18,965 | ▼ 4.0% | 117 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 14,822 | ▲ 49.0% | 1,531 MW | 438 MW | — | — |
More of Alabama
Baldwin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Baldwin County, Alabama?
6 utilities have service territory in Baldwin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Baldwin County El Member Corp, Foley Board of Utilities, Southern Pine Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Daphne, AL in?
Daphne is in Baldwin County, Alabama. About 31,396 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Foley, AL in?
Foley is in Baldwin County, Alabama. About 30,354 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Fairhope, AL in?
Fairhope is in Baldwin County, Alabama. About 26,625 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Baldwin County?
80 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 80 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Foley Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Baldwin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Baldwin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washington County.
Is Baldwin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 87,943 jobs in 2025 against 76,419 in 2019 (+15.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,340 to 6,274.
Does Baldwin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Baldwin County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.