Lee County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Auburn, Opelika and Phenix City
The data center boom is not abstract in Lee County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Lee County, 6% of Alabama's total. Lee County is home to Auburn, Opelika, part of Phenix City (6,750 of its 38,344 residents) and Smiths Station. Its power plants have 2,310 MW of capacity, 91% of it natural gas, the 5th largest fleet in Alabama. Employers here counted 68,299 jobs in 2025, up 13.3% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 67 Alabama counties). Electrical contractors employ 500, up 17.1% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $55,626 a year.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Auburn, Opelika, part of Phenix City (6,750 of its 38,344 residents) and Smiths Station.
- Phenix City also extends into Russell County.
- Notasulga also extends into Macon 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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 174,838 | 189,881 | ▲ 8.6% | 8th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 60,300 | 68,299 | ▲ 13.3% | 7th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,719 | $55,924 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 427 | 500 | ▲ 17.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 66 | 85 | ▲ 28.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 95 | 100 | ▲ 5.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 110 | 150 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
189,881 people live here, up 8.6% since 2020, 8th of 67 Alabama counties by population. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Lee 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 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Who powers Lee County
Utilities with service territory in Lee 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% |
| Dixie Electric Coop - (AL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,054 | 15.05¢ | 31% |
| City of Opelika - (AL) | Municipal | Bundled | 13,555 | 12.83¢ | 54% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 2,099 MW | 91% |
| Hydro | 212 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H Allen Franklin Combined Cycle | Southern Power Co | Natural gas | 1,996 MW | 2002 |
| Bartletts Ferry | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 173 MW | 1926 |
| Walton Discover Power Facility | Walton Discover LLC | Natural gas | 103 MW | 1999 |
| Goat Rock | Georgia Power Co | Hydro | 39 MW | 1915 |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 68,299 | $55,924 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 500 | $55,626 | 1.02 |
| Power and communication line construction | 85 | $105,679 | 0.77 |
| Electric utilities | 100 | $258,104 | 0.54 |
| Data processing and hosting | 150 | $114,955 | 0.71 |
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 Lee County
2 data centers in Lee County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lee County, Muscogee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 189,881 | ▲ 13.3% | 2,310 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Chambers County | 34,253 | ▲ 10.4% | 79 MW | — | — | — |
| Harris County GA | 37,280 | ▲ 26.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Macon County | 18,132 | ▲ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Muscogee County GA | 202,171 | ▼ 5.6% | 91 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Russell County | 58,898 | ▼ 1.5% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Tallapoosa County | 40,953 | ▼ 3.4% | 823 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Alabama?
4 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc, Dixie Electric Coop - (AL), City of Opelika - (AL). The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Auburn, AL in?
Auburn is in Lee County, Alabama. About 85,113 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Opelika, AL in?
Opelika is in Lee County, Alabama. About 35,765 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lee County?
4 operating plants with 2,310 MW of capacity. The largest is H Allen Franklin Combined Cycle (1,996 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Lee County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Lee County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 68,299 jobs in 2025 against 60,300 in 2019 (+13.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.