Monroe County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Monroeville and Frisco City
Monroe County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Monroe County is home to Monroeville, Frisco City and Excel. Next door, Clarke County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 6.6% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Construction employs 179, up 12.6% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,990 jobs in 2025, down 4.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Monroe County
Monroe County is home to Monroeville, Frisco City and Excel.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Megargel, Peterman, Uriah.
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 Monroe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,707 | 18,965 | ▼ 3.8% | 46th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,241 | 5,990 | ▼ 4.0% | 60th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,370 | $56,137 | ▲ 29.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 159 | 179 | ▲ 12.6% | 30th of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 6.6% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 117 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Monroe County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. 18,965 people live here, down 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Monroe County
Utilities with service territory in Monroe 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% |
| Baldwin County El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 83,005 | 13.87¢ | 32% |
| Southern Pine Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,645 | 13.90¢ | 37% |
| Clarke-Washington E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,708 | 15.76¢ | 14% |
| 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 117 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Pine Pulp | Alabama River Cellulose LLC | Other technologies | 69 MW | 1991 |
| Alabama River Pulp | Alabama River Cellulose LLC | Other technologies | 48 MW | 1978 |
The Monroe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,990 | $56,137 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 179 | $65,075 | 0.56 |
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 Monroe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Monroe County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Monroe County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Monroe County, Clarke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 18,965 | ▼ 4.0% | 117 MW | — | — | — |
| Baldwin County | 267,761 | ▲ 15.1% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Butler County | 18,100 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 22,014 | ▼ 3.3% | 204 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Conecuh County | 10,899 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Escambia County | 36,665 | ▲ 0.6% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Wilcox County | 9,666 | ▼ 3.5% | 178 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Monroe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Monroe County, Alabama?
5 utilities have service territory in Monroe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Baldwin County El Member Corp, Southern Pine Elec Coop, Inc, Clarke-Washington E M C. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Monroe County?
2 operating plants with 117 MW of capacity. The largest is Alabama Pine Pulp (69 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Monroe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Monroe County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clarke County.
Is Monroe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,990 jobs in 2025 against 6,241 in 2019 (-4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 159 to 179.
Does Monroe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Monroe County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.