Dallas County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Selma and Valley Grande
No data center or power plant project is on record in Dallas County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Dallas County is home to Selma and Valley Grande. 95 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Alabama Creek Solar, LLC (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Alabama's counties. Employers here counted 11,478 jobs in 2025, down 5.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 104 MW of capacity, 64% of it natural gas. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Dallas County, one of 4 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 Dallas County
Dallas County is home to Selma and Valley Grande.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Selmont-West Selmont.
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 Dallas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 38,176 | 35,140 | ▼ 8.0% | 33rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,201 | 11,478 | ▼ 5.9% | 61st of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,966 | $51,176 | ▲ 28.0% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 52 | 41 | ▼ 21.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 5.6% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 95 MW | 91% of today's fleet | 6th of 11 by size |
35,140 people live here, down 8.0% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 41, down 21.2% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $69,643 a year.
Who powers Dallas County
Utilities with service territory in Dallas 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% |
| Central Alabama Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 45,036 | 16.64¢ | 14% |
| Black Warrior Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,053 | 13.24¢ | 27% |
| Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (AL) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 67 MW | 64% |
| Other technologies | 37 MW | 36% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper Riverdale Mill | International Paper Co-Riverdl | Natural gas | 104 MW | 1967 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Creek Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Alabama Creek Solar, LLC |
| SR Marion Junction | Solar Photovoltaic | 15 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | SR Marion Junction, LLC |
The Dallas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,478 | $51,176 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 41 | $69,643 | 0.50 |
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 Dallas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dallas County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Lowndes County.
Dallas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dallas County, Autauga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | 35,140 | ▼ 5.9% | 104 MW | 95 MW | — | — |
| Autauga County | 61,920 | ▲ 16.8% | 3,342 MW | — | — | — |
| Chilton County | 47,708 | ▼ 1.3% | 177 MW | — | — | — |
| Lowndes County | 9,359 | ▲ 3.7% | 97 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Marengo County | 18,311 | ▲ 0.9% | 47 MW | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 7,425 | ▼ 14.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wilcox County | 9,666 | ▼ 3.5% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Dallas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dallas County, Alabama?
4 utilities have service territory in Dallas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Central Alabama Electric Coop, Black Warrior Elec Member Corp, Pioneer Electric Coop, Inc - (AL). The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Selma, AL in?
Selma is in Dallas County, Alabama. About 16,077 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Dallas County?
1 operating plant with 104 MW of capacity. The largest is International Paper Riverdale Mill (104 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Dallas County?
95 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Alabama Creek Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Dallas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dallas County.
Is Dallas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,478 jobs in 2025 against 12,201 in 2019 (-5.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Dallas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dallas County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.