Cherokee County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Centre, Cedar Bluff and Leesburg
No data center or power plant project is on record in Cherokee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 163, up 120.3% since 2019. Cherokee County is home to Centre, Cedar Bluff, Leesburg and most of Sand Rock (589 of its 620 residents). Next door, Floyd County, Georgia, has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 5,446 jobs in 2025, up 4.4% from 2019. Its power plants have 88 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Centre, Cedar Bluff, Leesburg and most of Sand Rock (589 of its 620 residents).
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Broomtown, Spring Garden.
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 Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,978 | 26,413 | ▲ 5.7% | 40th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,218 | 5,446 | ▲ 4.4% | 26th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,226 | $46,692 | ▲ 32.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 74 | 163 | ▲ 120.3% | 4th of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 18, at an average $44,359 a year. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. 26,413 people live here, up 5.7% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Who powers Cherokee County
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee 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% |
| Cherokee Electric Coop - (AL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,830 | 15.06¢ | 30% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 88 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weiss Dam | Alabama Power Co | Hydro | 88 MW | 1961 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,446 | $46,692 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 163 | $90,379 | 0.56 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $44,359 | 0.46 |
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 Cherokee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cherokee County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Floyd County.
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cherokee County, Floyd 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 26,413 | ▲ 4.4% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 115,834 | ▼ 2.4% | 828 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Chattooga County GA | 25,300 | ▼ 14.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Cleburne County | 15,970 | ▲ 38.0% | — | — | — | — |
| DeKalb County | 74,085 | ▲ 6.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Etowah County | 103,886 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Floyd County GA | 101,378 | ▲ 11.3% | 918 MW | 58 MW | 3 | 1 |
| Polk County GA | 45,514 | ▼ 2.0% | 580 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Cherokee Electric Coop - (AL). The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
1 operating plant with 88 MW of capacity. The largest is Weiss Dam (88 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cherokee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Floyd County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,446 jobs in 2025 against 5,218 in 2019 (+4.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 74 to 163.
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cherokee County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.