Winston County, Alabama: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Haleyville and Double Springs
Winston 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. Winston County is home to Haleyville, Double Springs, Addison and Lynn. Next door, Lawrence County has 393 MW of planned generation. Alabama Power Co is the largest utility serving Winston 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. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 8,154 jobs in 2025, unchanged from 2019.
Cities and towns in Winston County
Winston County is home to Haleyville, Double Springs, Addison and Lynn.
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 Winston County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,503 | 23,829 | ▲ 1.4% | 42nd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,157 | 8,154 | ● 0.0% | 40th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,942 | $52,987 | ▲ 39.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.9% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
23,829 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Winston County
Utilities with service territory in Winston 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% |
| Cullman Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,779 | 13.26¢ | 22% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Winston County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Winston County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,154 | $52,987 | 1.00 |
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 Winston County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Winston County. Alabama has 18 local measures on record statewide.
Winston County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Winston County, Lawrence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston County | 23,829 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Cullman County | 94,009 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 32,449 | ▼ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Lawrence County | 33,843 | ▲ 10.3% | 404 MW | 393 MW | — | — |
| Marion County | 29,097 | ▼ 0.2% | — | 4 MW | — | — |
| Walker County | 65,140 | ▲ 2.4% | 181 MW | — | — | — |
More of Alabama
Winston County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Winston County, Alabama?
2 utilities have service territory in Winston County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Alabama Power Co, Cullman Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Alabama Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Winston County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Winston County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lawrence County.
Is Winston County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,154 jobs in 2025 against 8,157 in 2019 (-0.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Winston County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Winston County. Alabama has 18 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.