Houston County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dothan, Ashford and Taylor
Houston County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Houston County, 3% of Alabama's total. Houston County is home to most of Dothan (70,465 of its 72,060 residents), Ashford, Taylor and Kinsey. Its power plants have 1,785 MW of capacity, 100% of it nuclear, the 8th largest fleet in Alabama. Employers here counted 51,288 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Houston 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.
Cities and towns in Houston County
Houston County is home to most of Dothan (70,465 of its 72,060 residents), Ashford, Taylor and Kinsey.
- Dothan also extends into Dale County.
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 Houston County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 107,306 | 110,318 | ▲ 2.8% | 12th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 49,036 | 51,288 | ▲ 4.6% | 24th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,712 | $56,334 | ▲ 28.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 110,318 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Houston County
Utilities with service territory in Houston 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% |
| City of Dothan - (AL) | Municipal | Bundled | 26,752 | 10.72¢ | 43% |
| Wiregrass Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,401 | 15.45¢ | 20% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 1,776 MW | 100% |
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph M Farley | Alabama Power Co | Nuclear | 1,776 MW | 1977 |
| Crestwood Dothan | Crestwood Corp | Petroleum | 9 MW | 1995 |
The Houston County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 51,288 | $56,334 | 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 Houston County
1 data center in Houston County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Houston County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Houston County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston County | 110,318 | ▲ 4.6% | 1,785 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Dale County | 49,912 | ▲ 4.6% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| Early County GA | 10,455 | ▼ 15.8% | 194 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Geneva County | 27,554 | ▲ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Henry County | 18,394 | ▲ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County FL | 49,629 | ▼ 0.6% | 228 MW | 75 MW | — | 2 |
| Seminole County GA | 9,162 | ▼ 2.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Houston County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Houston County, Alabama?
3 utilities have service territory in Houston County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, City of Dothan - (AL), Wiregrass Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Dothan, AL in?
Most of Dothan is in Houston County: 70,465 of its 72,060 residents, or 98%. The rest of the city lies in Dale County.
What power plants are in Houston County?
2 operating plants with 1,785 MW of capacity. The largest is Joseph M Farley (1,776 MW, nuclear).
Are there data centers in Houston County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Houston County.
Is Houston County adding jobs?
Employers counted 51,288 jobs in 2025 against 49,036 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Houston County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Houston County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.