Jackson County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Scottsboro, Bridgeport and Stevenson
Jackson County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Jackson County, 6% of Alabama's total. Jackson County is home to Scottsboro, Bridgeport, Stevenson and Hollywood. Construction employs 739, up 41.3% since 2019. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Crawfish Creek Energy Storage LLC (battery storage), the 5th largest pipeline among Alabama's counties. Employers here counted 15,108 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Scottsboro, Bridgeport, Stevenson and Hollywood.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 52,542 | 54,281 | ▲ 3.3% | 27th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,596 | 15,108 | ▼ 3.1% | 55th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,071 | $51,886 | ▲ 40.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 523 | 739 | ▲ 41.3% | 9th of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 1429% of today's fleet | 5th of 11 by size |
Its power plants have 14 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Sand Mountain Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Jackson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.55¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. 54,281 people live here, up 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson County
Utilities with service territory in Jackson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Mountain Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,298 | 12.55¢ | 28% |
| North Alabama Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,099 | 12.83¢ | 25% |
| City of Scottsboro - (AL) | Municipal | Bundled | 7,090 | 12.87¢ | 38% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 14 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bellefonte | Tennessee Valley Authority | Petroleum | 14 MW | 1998 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawfish Creek Energy Storage | Batteries | 200 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Crawfish Creek Energy Storage LLC |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,108 | $51,886 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 739 | $56,784 | 0.92 |
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 Jackson County
2 data centers in Jackson County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jackson County, Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 54,281 | ▼ 3.1% | 14 MW | 200 MW | 2 | — |
| Dade County GA | 16,154 | ▲ 18.5% | — | — | — | — |
| DeKalb County | 74,085 | ▲ 6.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Franklin County TN | 45,579 | ▼ 2.1% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 433,516 | ▲ 14.1% | 43 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Marion County TN | 29,804 | ▲ 11.1% | 104 MW | — | — | — |
| Marshall County | 103,537 | ▲ 7.9% | 119 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Alabama?
3 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Sand Mountain Electric Coop, North Alabama Electric Coop, City of Scottsboro - (AL). The largest, Sand Mountain Electric Coop, charged residential customers 12.55¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Scottsboro, AL in?
Scottsboro is in Jackson County, Alabama. About 16,123 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jackson County?
1 operating plant with 14 MW of capacity. The largest is Bellefonte (14 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Jackson County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Crawfish Creek Energy Storage LLC.
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Jackson County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,108 jobs in 2025 against 15,596 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 523 to 739.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.