Randolph County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Roanoke
Randolph 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. Randolph County is home to Roanoke, Wadley and Wedowee. Next door, Troup County, Georgia, has 6 data centers. Construction employs 196, up 14.0% since 2019. Its power plants have 135 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Employers here counted 4,887 jobs in 2025, up 2.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Randolph County
Randolph County is home to Roanoke, Wadley and Wedowee.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Graham, Morrison Crossroads, Rock Mills.
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 Randolph County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,097 | 23,163 | ▲ 4.8% | 43rd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,762 | 4,887 | ▲ 2.6% | 30th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,221 | $44,688 | ▲ 30.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 172 | 196 | ▲ 14.0% | 27th of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Randolph County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. 23,163 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Who powers Randolph County
Utilities with service territory in Randolph 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 135 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Dam | Alabama Power Co | Hydro | 135 MW | 1983 |
The Randolph County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,887 | $44,688 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 196 | $57,448 | 0.76 |
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 Randolph County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Randolph County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Carroll County.
Randolph County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Randolph County, Heard 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | 23,163 | ▲ 2.6% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County GA | 131,036 | ▲ 10.2% | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| Chambers County | 34,253 | ▲ 10.4% | 79 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 14,207 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Cleburne County | 15,970 | ▲ 38.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Heard County GA | 12,149 | ▲ 8.5% | 3,967 MW | — | — | — |
| Tallapoosa County | 40,953 | ▼ 3.4% | 823 MW | — | — | — |
| Troup County GA | 72,844 | ▲ 5.9% | 77 MW | — | 6 | — |
More of Alabama
Randolph County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Randolph County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Randolph County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Tallapoosa River Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Randolph County?
1 operating plant with 135 MW of capacity. The largest is Harris Dam (135 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Randolph County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Randolph County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Troup County.
Is Randolph County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,887 jobs in 2025 against 4,762 in 2019 (+2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 172 to 196.
Does Randolph County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Randolph County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.