Gulf County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka
Gulf 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. Gulf County is home to Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka. Employers here counted 4,597 jobs in 2025, up 26.6% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 67 Florida counties). Construction employs 339, down 11.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. 15,943 people live here, up 11.7% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Gulf County
Gulf County is home to Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka.
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 Gulf County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,270 | 15,943 | ▲ 11.7% | 61st of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,631 | 4,597 | ▲ 26.6% | 5th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,193 | $56,298 | ▲ 43.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 381 | 339 | ▼ 11.0% | 56th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 60 | 36 | ▼ 40.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it battery storage. Duke Energy Florida, LLC is the largest utility serving Gulf County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.54¢ median for Florida utilities. Electrical contractors employ 36, down 40.0% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $47,641 a year.
Who powers Gulf County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Gulf County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,793,067 | 16.63¢ | 38% |
| Gulf Coast Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,220 | 14.67¢ | 20% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape San Blas | Duke Energy Florida, LLC | Battery storage | 6 MW | 2022 |
The Gulf County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,597 | $56,298 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 339 | $51,185 | 1.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 36 | $47,641 | 1.09 |
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 Gulf County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gulf County. Florida has 45 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bay County.
Gulf County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Gulf County, Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf County | 15,943 | ▲ 26.6% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Bay County | 204,479 | ▲ 11.5% | 961 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Calhoun County | 13,289 | ▲ 13.6% | 820 MW | 149 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 13,029 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Liberty County | 8,035 | ▲ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Florida
Gulf County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gulf County, Florida?
2 utilities have service territory in Gulf County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Florida, LLC, Gulf Coast Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Florida, LLC, charged residential customers 16.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gulf County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Cape San Blas (6 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Gulf County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gulf County.
Is Gulf County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,597 jobs in 2025 against 3,631 in 2019 (+26.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 381 to 339.
Does Gulf County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gulf County. Florida has 45 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.