Clarke County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jackson, Thomasville and Grove Hill
Clarke County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clarke County, 3% of Alabama's total. Clarke County is home to Jackson, Thomasville and Grove Hill. Construction employs 163, up 19.0% since 2019. 189 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 204 MW of capacity, 78% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Clarke County
Clarke County is home to Jackson, Thomasville and Grove Hill.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Carlton, Rockville, Whatley.
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 Clarke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,982 | 22,014 | ▼ 4.2% | 45th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,967 | 7,704 | ▼ 3.3% | 56th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,511 | $51,996 | ▲ 25.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 137 | 163 | ▲ 19.0% | 21st of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 6.0% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 189 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 7,704 jobs in 2025, down 3.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.0% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Clarke County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. 22,014 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020.
Who powers Clarke County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +189 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clarke 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% |
| Black Warrior Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,053 | 13.24¢ | 27% |
| Clarke-Washington E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,708 | 15.76¢ | 14% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 160 MW | 78% |
| Natural gas | 29 MW | 14% |
| Other technologies | 16 MW | 8% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker Springs I | Origis Energy USA, Inc | Solar | 80 MW | 2026 |
| Walker Springs II | Origis Energy USA, Inc | Solar | 80 MW | 2026 |
| Packaging Corp. of America Jackson Mill | Boise White Paper LLC | Other technologies | 44 MW | 1996 |
The Clarke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,704 | $51,996 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 163 | $63,252 | 0.40 |
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 Clarke County
1 data center in Clarke County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Clarke County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clarke County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County | 22,014 | ▼ 3.3% | 204 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Baldwin County | 267,761 | ▲ 15.1% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Choctaw County | 11,904 | ▼ 7.9% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Marengo County | 18,311 | ▲ 0.9% | 47 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 18,965 | ▼ 4.0% | 117 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 14,822 | ▲ 49.0% | 1,531 MW | 438 MW | — | — |
| Wilcox County | 9,666 | ▼ 3.5% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Clarke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarke County, Alabama?
3 utilities have service territory in Clarke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Black Warrior Elec Member Corp, Clarke-Washington E M C. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clarke County?
3 operating plants with 204 MW of capacity. The largest is Walker Springs I (80 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Clarke County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clarke County.
Is Clarke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,704 jobs in 2025 against 7,967 in 2019 (-3.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 137 to 163.
Does Clarke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clarke County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.