Oxford County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rumford, Paris and Norway
Oxford 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. Oxford County is home to Rumford, Paris, Norway and Oxford. Construction employs 1,058, up 16.0% since 2019. Next door, Cumberland County has 8 data centers. 12 MW has retired here since 2019, including Mead Rumford Cogen (natural gas, 12 MW, 2022). 73 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Oxford County
Oxford County is home to Rumford, Paris, Norway and Oxford.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bethel, Dixfield, Fryeburg, Kezar Falls, Mexico, Norway, Oxford, Rumford, South Paris.
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 Oxford County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 57,894 | 60,346 | ▲ 4.2% | 7th of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,872 | 16,970 | ▲ 0.6% | 8th of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,549 | $53,315 | ▲ 34.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 912 | 1,058 | ▲ 16.0% | 5th of 7 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 73 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — |
Its power plants have 595 MW of capacity, 46% of it natural gas, the 3rd largest fleet in Maine. Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving Oxford County. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 16,970 jobs in 2025, up 0.6% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 16 Maine counties). 60,346 people live here, up 4.2% since 2020, 7th of 16 Maine counties by population.
Who powers Oxford County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +60 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Oxford County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Maine Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 577,955 | 23.43¢ | 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.
Operating power plants 20
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 274 MW | 46% |
| Wind | 109 MW | 18% |
| Other technologies | 103 MW | 17% |
| Hydro | 51 MW | 9% |
| Solar | 45 MW | 8% |
| Battery storage | 13 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rumford Power LLC | Rumford Power | Natural gas | 274 MW | 2000 |
| Rumford Cogeneration | ND Paper, Inc. | Other technologies | 103 MW | 1990 |
| Rumford Falls Hydro Facility | Brookfield Power New England | Hydro | 52 MW | 1918 |
| Record Hill Wind | Record Hill Wind LLC | Wind | 51 MW | 2012 |
| Canton Mountain Wind | CPV Canton Mountain Wind LLC | Wind | 23 MW | 2017 |
| Spruce Mountain WInd | CPV Spruce Mountain Wind LLC | Wind | 20 MW | 2011 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mead Rumford Cogen | Natural gas | 12 MW | 2022 |
The Oxford County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,970 | $53,315 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,058 | $64,027 | 1.18 |
| Data processing and hosting | 18 | $108,346 | 0.34 |
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 Oxford County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Oxford County. Maine has 24 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Androscoggin County.
Oxford County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Oxford County, Cumberland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford County | 60,346 | ▲ 0.6% | 595 MW | — | — | — |
| Androscoggin County | 116,487 | ▼ 2.6% | 196 MW | 30 MW | — | 1 |
| Carroll County NH | 52,784 | ▼ 0.7% | 44 MW | — | — | — |
| Coos County NH | 31,343 | ▼ 2.7% | 301 MW | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 317,222 | ▲ 3.8% | 1,799 MW | 27 MW | 8 | — |
| Franklin County | 30,824 | ▼ 2.1% | 336 MW | — | — | — |
| York County | 222,434 | ▲ 6.8% | 158 MW | 271 MW | — | — |
More of Maine
Oxford County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oxford County, Maine?
1 utility has service territory in Oxford County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co. The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Oxford County?
20 operating plants with 595 MW of capacity. The largest is Rumford Power LLC (274 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Oxford County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Oxford County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cumberland County.
Is Oxford County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,970 jobs in 2025 against 16,872 in 2019 (+0.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 912 to 1,058.
Does Oxford County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Oxford County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.