Clay County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lineville and Ashland
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clay County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Clay County is home to Lineville and Ashland. Next door, Talladega County has 400 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Clay 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. Employers here counted 4,238 jobs in 2025, down 1.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Clay County
Clay County is home to Lineville and Ashland.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Delta, Hollins, Millerville.
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 Clay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,216 | 14,207 | ▼ 0.1% | 56th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,297 | 4,238 | ▼ 1.4% | 46th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,565 | $46,631 | ▲ 31.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
14,207 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Clay County
Utilities with service territory in Clay 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% |
| Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,578 | 14.39¢ | 9% |
| Coosa Valley Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,612 | 15.71¢ | 10% |
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 Clay County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Clay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,238 | $46,631 | 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 Clay County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clay County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Clay County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clay County, Talladega 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 14,207 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Cleburne County | 15,970 | ▲ 38.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Coosa County | 10,161 | ▲ 1.0% | 170 MW | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 23,163 | ▲ 2.6% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Talladega County | 81,603 | ▲ 5.1% | 253 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Tallapoosa County | 40,953 | ▼ 3.4% | 823 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Clay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clay County, Alabama?
3 utilities have service territory in Clay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc, Coosa Valley Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Clay County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clay County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Talladega County.
Is Clay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,238 jobs in 2025 against 4,297 in 2019 (-1.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Clay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clay County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.