Cleburne County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Heflin
Cleburne 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. Construction employs 424, up 125.5% since 2019, and construction is 2.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,830 jobs in 2025, up 38.0% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 67 Alabama counties). Cleburne County is home to Heflin. Next door, Talladega County has 400 MW of planned generation. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Cleburne 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.
Cities and towns in Cleburne County
Cleburne County is home to Heflin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hollis Crossroads.
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 Cleburne County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,062 | 15,970 | ▲ 6.0% | 52nd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,051 | 2,830 | ▲ 38.0% | 3rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,013 | $56,862 | ▲ 32.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 188 | 424 | ▲ 125.5% | 3rd of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.1% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
15,970 people live here, up 6.0% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019.
Who powers Cleburne County
Utilities with service territory in Cleburne 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% |
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 Cleburne County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Cleburne County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,830 | $56,862 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 424 | $72,441 | 2.83 |
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 Cleburne County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cleburne County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Carroll County.
Cleburne County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Cleburne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleburne County | 15,970 | ▲ 38.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 115,834 | ▼ 2.4% | 828 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Carroll County GA | 131,036 | ▲ 10.2% | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| Cherokee County | 26,413 | ▲ 4.4% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 14,207 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Haralson County GA | 33,066 | ▲ 16.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Polk County GA | 45,514 | ▼ 2.0% | 580 MW | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 23,163 | ▲ 2.6% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Talladega County | 81,603 | ▲ 5.1% | 253 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
More of Alabama
Cleburne County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cleburne County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Cleburne County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Cleburne County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cleburne County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Talladega County.
Is Cleburne County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,830 jobs in 2025 against 2,051 in 2019 (+38.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 188 to 424.
Does Cleburne County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cleburne County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.