Washington County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chatom
Washington County is a generation frontier for Alabama. Employers here counted 5,356 jobs in 2025, up 49.0% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 67 Alabama counties). Construction employs 214, up 67.2% since 2019. Washington County is home to Chatom. 438 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by PowerSouth Energy Cooperative (natural gas), the largest pipeline among Alabama's counties. 538 MW has retired here since 2019, including Lowman Energy Center (coal, 538 MW, 2020).
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Chatom.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Calvert, Cullomburg, Deer Park, Fairford, Fruitdale, Hobson, Leroy, Malcolm, Sims Chapel, St. Stephens, Tibbie, Vinegar Bend.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,334 | 14,822 | ▼ 3.3% | 55th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,594 | 5,356 | ▲ 49.0% | 1st of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $63,790 | $93,220 | ▲ 46.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 128 | 214 | ▲ 67.2% | 7th of 41 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 3.5% | ▼ 1.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 733 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 538 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 438 MW | 29% of today's fleet | 1st of 11 by size |
Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. 733 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Its power plants have 1,531 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 9th largest fleet in Alabama. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Washington 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. 14,822 people live here, down 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +195 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington 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% |
| Clarke-Washington E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,708 | 15.76¢ | 14% |
| Singing River Elec Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 336 | 13.34¢ | 12% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,531 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowman Energy Center | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative | Natural gas | 733 MW | 2023 |
| McIntosh (AL) | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative | Natural gas | 676 MW | 1991 |
| Washington County Cogeneration Facility | Alabama Power Co | Natural gas | 122 MW | 1999 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowman Energy Center | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 438 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | PowerSouth Energy Cooperative |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowman Energy Center | Coal | 538 MW | 2020 |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,356 | $93,220 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 214 | $80,010 | 0.75 |
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 Washington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Washington County, Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 14,822 | ▲ 49.0% | 1,531 MW | 438 MW | — | — |
| Baldwin County | 267,761 | ▲ 15.1% | — | 80 MW | — | — |
| Choctaw County | 11,904 | ▼ 7.9% | 88 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 22,014 | ▼ 3.3% | 204 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Greene County MS | 13,707 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Mobile County | 411,658 | ▲ 1.9% | 4,003 MW | 8 MW | 1 | — |
| Wayne County MS | 19,807 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Alabama?
4 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Black Warrior Elec Member Corp, Clarke-Washington E M C, Singing River Elec Cooperative. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Washington County?
3 operating plants with 1,531 MW of capacity. The largest is Lowman Energy Center (733 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Washington County?
438 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is PowerSouth Energy Cooperative.
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mobile County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,356 jobs in 2025 against 3,594 in 2019 (+49.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 128 to 214.
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.