Walker County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jasper, Sumiton and Dora
Walker County is living through the turnover of the U.S. power fleet. Walker County is home to Jasper, most of Sumiton (2,449 of its 2,511 residents), Dora and Carbon Hill. 1,167 MW has retired here since 2019, including Gorgas (coal, 1,167 MW, 2019). Construction employs 537, down 24.7% since 2019. Next door, Jefferson County has 8 data centers. Its power plants have 181 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Walker County
Walker County is home to Jasper, most of Sumiton (2,449 of its 2,511 residents), Dora and Carbon Hill.
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 Walker County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,147 | 65,140 | ● 0.0% | 21st of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,415 | 18,858 | ▲ 2.4% | 31st of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,374 | $50,390 | ▲ 28.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 713 | 537 | ▼ 24.7% | 41st of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1,167 MW | — |
Employers here counted 18,858 jobs in 2025, up 2.4% from 2019. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Walker County. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.24¢ median for Alabama utilities. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 65,140 people live here, down 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Walker County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1,167 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Walker 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% |
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 | 181 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Smith Dam | Alabama Power Co | Hydro | 181 MW | 1961 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gorgas | Coal | 1,167 MW | 2019 |
The Walker County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,858 | $50,390 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 537 | $67,418 | 0.54 |
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 Walker County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Walker County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Walker County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Walker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker County | 65,140 | ▲ 2.4% | 181 MW | — | — | — |
| Blount County | 60,156 | ▲ 5.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Cullman County | 94,009 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 15,872 | ▼ 1.4% | — | 10 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 665,742 | ▲ 4.1% | 2,826 MW | — | 8 | — |
| Marion County | 29,097 | ▼ 0.2% | — | 4 MW | — | — |
| Tuscaloosa County | 241,368 | ▲ 1.4% | 101 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Winston County | 23,829 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Walker County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Walker County, Alabama?
1 utility has service territory in Walker County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Jasper, AL in?
Jasper is in Walker County, Alabama. About 14,585 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Walker County?
1 operating plant with 181 MW of capacity. The largest is Lewis Smith Dam (181 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Walker County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Walker County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jefferson County.
Is Walker County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,858 jobs in 2025 against 18,415 in 2019 (+2.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 713 to 537.
Does Walker County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Walker County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.