Tuscaloosa County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tuscaloosa, Northport and Lake View
Tuscaloosa County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Tuscaloosa County, 3% of Alabama's total. Tuscaloosa County is home to Tuscaloosa, Northport, most of Lake View (3,627 of its 3,969 residents) and Brookwood. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Delta Forge 2 (210 MW). Electrical contractors employ 715, up 29.5% since 2019 against up 28.7% statewide, at an average $64,774 a year. Construction employs 5,031, up 11.0% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa County is home to Tuscaloosa, Northport, most of Lake View (3,627 of its 3,969 residents) and Brookwood.
- Lake View also extends into Jefferson County.
- Moundville also extends into Hale County.
- Woodstock also extends into Bibb County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cottondale, Holt.
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 Tuscaloosa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 232,604 | 241,368 | ▲ 3.8% | 5th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97,250 | 98,620 | ▲ 1.4% | 35th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,898 | $61,659 | ▲ 31.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,532 | 5,031 | ▲ 11.0% | 31st of 41 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 552 | 715 | ▲ 29.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 101 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Tuscaloosa 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. Employers here counted 98,620 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. 241,368 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020, 5th of 67 Alabama counties by population.
Who powers Tuscaloosa County
Utilities with service territory in Tuscaloosa 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% |
| Black Warrior Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,053 | 13.24¢ | 27% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 101 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bankhead Dam | Alabama Power Co | Hydro | 54 MW | 1963 |
| Holt Dam | Alabama Power Co | Hydro | 47 MW | 1968 |
The Tuscaloosa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 98,620 | $61,659 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,031 | $69,568 | 0.96 |
| Electrical contractors | 715 | $64,774 | 1.01 |
| Data processing and hosting | 92 | $88,104 | 0.30 |
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 Tuscaloosa County
1 data center in Tuscaloosa County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Forge 2 | approved amid opposition | 210 MW |
Tuscaloosa County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Tuscaloosa County, Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County | 241,368 | ▲ 1.4% | 101 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Bibb County | 22,262 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 15,872 | ▼ 1.4% | — | 10 MW | — | — |
| Greene County | 7,067 | ▼ 1.5% | 1,288 MW | — | — | — |
| Hale County | 15,194 | ▼ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 665,742 | ▲ 4.1% | 2,826 MW | — | 8 | — |
| Pickens County | 18,221 | ▼ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Walker County | 65,140 | ▲ 2.4% | 181 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Tuscaloosa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Tuscaloosa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Black Warrior Elec Member Corp. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Tuscaloosa, AL in?
Tuscaloosa is in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. About 114,316 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Northport, AL in?
Northport is in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. About 31,648 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Tuscaloosa County?
2 operating plants with 101 MW of capacity. The largest is Bankhead Dam (54 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Tuscaloosa County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Tuscaloosa County.
Is Tuscaloosa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 98,620 jobs in 2025 against 97,250 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,532 to 5,031.
Does Tuscaloosa County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Tuscaloosa County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.