Walton County, Florida: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Freeport and DeFuniak Springs
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Walton County. Construction employs 3,800, up 58.9% since 2019, and construction is 2.0 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 35,416 jobs in 2025, up 29.4% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 67 Florida counties). Walton County is home to Freeport, DeFuniak Springs and Paxton. Electrical contractors employ 409, up 65.6% since 2019 against up 16.3% statewide, at an average $59,821 a year. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers with no end date”.
Cities and towns in Walton County
Walton County is home to Freeport, DeFuniak Springs and Paxton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Miramar 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 Walton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 75,899 | 93,288 | ▲ 22.9% | 38th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 27,374 | 35,416 | ▲ 29.4% | 3rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,842 | $59,289 | ▲ 45.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,392 | 3,800 | ▲ 58.9% | 5th of 59 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 247 | 409 | ▲ 65.6% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 50 | 46 | ▼ 8.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 4.3% | ▲ 1.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 298 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 74 MW | 25% of today's fleet | 13th of 18 by size |
74 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Florida Power & Light Co (solar). 74 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 93,288 people live here, up 22.9% since 2020. 298 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 298 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Florida Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Walton County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.71¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Walton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +298 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Walton 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% |
| 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 298 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua Solar Energy Center | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2023 |
| Pecan Tree | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
| Swallowtail | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2025 |
| Wild Quail | Florida Power & Light Co | Solar | 74 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood Hammock | Solar Photovoltaic | 74 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Florida Power & Light Co |
The Walton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 35,416 | $59,289 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,800 | $64,402 | 2.03 |
| Electrical contractors | 409 | $59,821 | 1.60 |
| Data processing and hosting | 46 | $124,523 | 0.42 |
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 Walton County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers with no end date | In force | 2026-01 |
Walton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Walton County, Bay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walton County | 93,288 | ▲ 29.4% | 298 MW | 74 MW | — | 1 |
| Bay County | 204,479 | ▲ 11.5% | 961 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Covington County AL | 37,947 | ▲ 1.8% | 742 MW | — | — | — |
| Geneva County AL | 27,554 | ▲ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Holmes County | 20,119 | ▲ 5.9% | — | — | — | 2 |
| Okaloosa County | 221,810 | ▲ 4.3% | 328 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Washington County | 26,695 | ▲ 4.9% | 74 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Florida
Walton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Walton County, Florida?
3 utilities have service territory in Walton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Florida Power & Light Co, Choctawhatche Elec Coop, Inc, Gulf Coast Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Florida Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 13.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Walton County?
4 operating plants with 298 MW of capacity. The largest is Chautauqua Solar Energy Center (74 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Walton County?
74 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 74 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Florida Power & Light Co.
Are there data centers in Walton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Walton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Okaloosa County.
Is Walton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 35,416 jobs in 2025 against 27,374 in 2019 (+29.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,392 to 3,800.
Does Walton County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Walton County, 1 in force.