Santa Rosa County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Milton and Gulf Breeze
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Santa Rosa County. Santa Rosa County is home to Milton, Gulf Breeze and Jay. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “12-month data center moratorium (in development)”. Construction employs 3,914, up 23.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Employers here counted 44,562 jobs in 2025, up 11.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County is home to Milton, Gulf Breeze and Jay.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allentown, Avalon, Bagdad, Berrydale, Brownsdale, Chumuckla, Cobbtown, Dickerson City, Dixonville, East Milton, Fidelis, Floridatown, Garcon Point, Harold, Holley, Midway, Mount Carmel, Mulat, Munson, Navarre, Navarre Beach, Oriole Beach, Pace, Pea Ridge, Pine Level, Point Baker, Roeville, Springhill, Tiger Point, Wallace, Whitfield, Woodlawn Beach.
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 Santa Rosa County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 189,024 | 211,115 | ▲ 11.7% | 29th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39,865 | 44,562 | ▲ 11.8% | 26th of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,336 | $53,276 | ▲ 35.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,162 | 3,914 | ▲ 23.8% | 22nd of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 452 | 440 | ▼ 2.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 224 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
224 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 552 MW of capacity, 52% of it natural gas. 211,115 people live here, up 11.7% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 440, down 2.7% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $52,694 a year. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Santa Rosa County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Santa Rosa County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +224 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Santa Rosa 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% |
| Choctawhatche Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 57,070 | 13.23¢ | 24% |
| Escambia River Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,914 | 15.27¢ | 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 289 MW | 52% |
| Solar | 189 MW | 34% |
| Battery storage | 74 MW | 13% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa Energy Center | Santa Rosa Energy Center LLC | Natural gas | 274 MW | 2003 |
| Blackwater River Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 149 MW | 2023 |
| Big Juniper Solar | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Gulf Coast Solar Center II | Arevon Energy, Inc. | Solar | 40 MW | 2017 |
| Pea Ridge | Florida Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 14 MW | 1998 |
The Santa Rosa County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 44,562 | $53,276 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,914 | $61,532 | 1.66 |
| Electrical contractors | 440 | $52,694 | 1.37 |
| Power and communication line construction | 219 | $79,862 | 3.04 |
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 Santa Rosa County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month data center moratorium (in development) | Proposed | 2026-06 |
Santa Rosa County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Santa Rosa County, Escambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County | 211,115 | ▲ 11.8% | 552 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Escambia County AL | 36,665 | ▲ 0.6% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Escambia County | 333,834 | ▲ 6.1% | 2,657 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Okaloosa County | 221,810 | ▲ 4.3% | 328 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Florida
Santa Rosa County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Santa Rosa County, Florida?
3 utilities have service territory in Santa Rosa County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Choctawhatche Elec Coop, Inc, Escambia River Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Milton, FL in?
Milton is in Santa Rosa County, Florida. About 11,440 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Santa Rosa County?
5 operating plants with 552 MW of capacity. The largest is Santa Rosa Energy Center (274 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Santa Rosa County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Santa Rosa County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Okaloosa County.
Is Santa Rosa County adding jobs?
Employers counted 44,562 jobs in 2025 against 39,865 in 2019 (+11.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,162 to 3,914.
Does Santa Rosa County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Santa Rosa County, 0 in force.