Etowah County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gadsden, Rainbow City and Southside
Etowah County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Etowah County, 3% of Alabama's total. Etowah County is home to Gadsden, Rainbow City, most of Southside (9,522 of its 9,718 residents) and Attalla. 138 MW has retired here since 2019, including Gadsden (natural gas, 138 MW, 2023). Electrical contractors employ 238, up 16.1% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $63,253 a year. Employers here counted 33,095 jobs in 2025, down 7.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Etowah County
Etowah County is home to Gadsden, Rainbow City, most of Southside (9,522 of its 9,718 residents) and Attalla.
- Southside also extends into Calhoun County.
- Boaz also extends into Marshall County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ballplay, Bristow Cove, Carlisle-Rockledge, Coats Bend, Egypt, Gallant, Ivalee, Lookout Mountain, New Union, Tidmore Bend, Whitesboro.
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 Etowah County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 103,441 | 103,886 | ▲ 0.4% | 13th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 35,617 | 33,095 | ▼ 7.1% | 63rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,701 | $47,937 | ▲ 27.2% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 205 | 238 | ▲ 16.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 138 MW | — |
Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Etowah 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. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. 103,886 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Etowah County
Utilities with service territory in Etowah 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% |
| Marshall-De Kalb Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,318 | 12.49¢ | 38% |
| 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 Etowah County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden | Natural gas | 138 MW | 2023 |
The Etowah County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 33,095 | $47,937 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 238 | $63,253 | 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 Etowah County
1 data center in Etowah County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Etowah County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Etowah County, Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etowah County | 103,886 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Blount County | 60,156 | ▲ 5.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 115,834 | ▼ 2.4% | 828 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Cherokee County | 26,413 | ▲ 4.4% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| DeKalb County | 74,085 | ▲ 6.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Marshall County | 103,537 | ▲ 7.9% | 119 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Clair County | 98,206 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Etowah County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Etowah County, Alabama?
4 utilities have service territory in Etowah County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Cherokee Electric Coop - (AL), Marshall-De Kalb Electric Coop, Coosa Valley Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Gadsden, AL in?
Gadsden is in Etowah County, Alabama. About 33,367 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Rainbow City, AL in?
Rainbow City is in Etowah County, Alabama. About 10,406 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Etowah County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Etowah County.
Is Etowah County adding jobs?
Employers counted 33,095 jobs in 2025 against 35,617 in 2019 (-7.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Etowah County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Etowah County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.