Broward County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines and Hollywood
The data center boom is not abstract in Broward County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Broward County, 5% of Florida's total. Broward County is home to Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood and Miramar. Its power plants have 4,094 MW of capacity, 98% of it natural gas, the 5th largest fleet in Florida. 1,448 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Construction employs 53,210, up 9.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Broward County
Broward County is home to Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood and Miramar.
And 6 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Boulevard Gardens, Broadview Park, Franklin Park, Hillsboro Pines, Roosevelt Gardens, Washington Park.
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 Broward County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,943,437 | 2,013,317 | ▲ 3.6% | 2nd of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 824,195 | 863,595 | ▲ 4.8% | 54th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,643 | $74,595 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 48,537 | 53,210 | ▲ 9.6% | 45th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,417 | 6,568 | ▲ 2.4% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 708 | 933 | ▲ 31.8% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,327 | 4,225 | ▼ 2.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1,448 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 863,595 jobs in 2025, up 4.8% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 6,568, up 2.4% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $69,539 a year. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Broward County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024. 2,013,317 people live here, up 3.6% since 2020, 2nd of 67 Florida counties by population.
Who powers Broward County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1,448 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Broward County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,236,277 | 13.71¢ | 41% |
| Lee County Electric Coop, Inc - (FL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 231,142 | 13.54¢ | 28% |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 4,016 MW | 98% |
| Other technologies | 77 MW | 2% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dania Beach 7 | Florida Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 1,448 MW | 2022 |
| Port Everglades | Florida Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 1,352 MW | 2016 |
| Lauderdale | Florida Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 1,216 MW | 1970 |
| Wheelabrator South Broward | FCC Environmental | Other technologies | 66 MW | 1991 |
| CSL Gas Recovery | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 11 MW | 1989 |
| Pembroke Lakes Mall | Pembroke Lakes Mall | Solar | 1 MW | 2016 |
The Broward County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 863,595 | $74,595 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 53,210 | $80,699 | 1.16 |
| Electrical contractors | 6,568 | $69,539 | 1.05 |
| Power and communication line construction | 933 | $93,600 | 0.67 |
| Electric utilities | 783 | $153,504 | 0.33 |
| Data processing and hosting | 4,225 | $150,005 | 1.57 |
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 Broward County
6 data centers in Broward County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Broward County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Broward County, Miami-Dade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broward County | 2,013,317 | ▲ 4.8% | 4,094 MW | — | 6 | — |
| Collier County | 417,131 | ▲ 13.8% | 228 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Hendry County | 48,276 | ▲ 7.6% | 720 MW | 149 MW | — | 1 |
| Miami-Dade County | 2,802,029 | ▲ 9.6% | 3,263 MW | — | 39 | — |
| Palm Beach County | 1,575,726 | ▲ 8.9% | 6,242 MW | — | 8 | 1 |
More of Florida
Broward County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Broward County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Broward County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Lee County Electric Coop, Inc - (FL). The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Fort Lauderdale, FL in?
Fort Lauderdale is in Broward County, Florida. About 188,677 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Pembroke Pines, FL in?
Pembroke Pines is in Broward County, Florida. About 176,714 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Hollywood, FL in?
Hollywood is in Broward County, Florida. About 157,019 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Broward County?
6 operating plants with 4,094 MW of capacity. The largest is Dania Beach 7 (1,448 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Broward County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Broward County.
Is Broward County adding jobs?
Employers counted 863,595 jobs in 2025 against 824,195 in 2019 (+4.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 48,537 to 53,210.
Does Broward County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Broward County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.