York County, Maine: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sanford and Biddeford, and the communities of North Berwick
York County is where a large share of Maine's next power plants are planned. York County is home to Sanford, Biddeford, Saco and York, plus the unincorporated community of North Berwick. 271 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Freedom Pine Solar, LLC (solar), the largest pipeline among Maine's counties. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including Bar Mills (hydro, 4 MW, 2021). 119 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 79,603 jobs in 2025, up 6.8% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 16 Maine counties).
Cities and towns in York County
York County is home to Sanford, Biddeford, Saco and York, plus the unincorporated community of North Berwick.
And 5 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): North Berwick, Alfred, Berwick, Cape Neddick, Cornish, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Kezar Falls, Kittery, Kittery Point, Lake Arrowhead, Old Orchard Beach, South Berwick, South Eliot, West Kennebunk, York Harbor.
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 York County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 212,272 | 222,434 | ▲ 4.8% | 2nd of 16 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 74,512 | 79,603 | ▲ 6.8% | 1st of 16 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,818 | $64,166 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 46 | 143 | ▲ 210.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 2.8% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 119 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 271 MW | 172% of today's fleet | 1st of 8 by size |
Its power plants have 158 MW of capacity, 70% of it solar. Central Maine Power Co is the largest utility serving York County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 23.43¢/kWh in 2024, above the 17.06¢ median for Maine utilities. 222,434 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020, 2nd of 16 Maine counties by population. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Who powers York County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +115 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in York 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% |
| Kennebunk Light & Power Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
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 17
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 111 MW | 70% |
| Hydro | 40 MW | 25% |
| Battery storage | 8 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Solar | Sanford Airport Solar, LLC | Solar | 49 MW | 2020 |
| Mousam River Solar | Walden Renewables Development LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2025 |
| Skelton | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 17 MW | 1948 |
| Bonny Eagle | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 15 MW | 1910 |
| West Buxton | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 8 MW | 1904 |
| Cataract Hydro | Brookfield White Pine Hydro LLC | Hydro | 7 MW | 1937 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Pine Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | Freedom Pine Solar, LLC |
| Emery Meadow Solar Station | Solar Photovoltaic | 16 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Emery Meadow Solar Station, LLC |
| Sanford ESS, LLC | Batteries | 5 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Sanford ESS, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Mills | Hydro | 4 MW | 2021 |
The York County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 79,603 | $64,166 | 1.00 |
| Power and communication line construction | 143 | $133,420 | 1.11 |
| Data processing and hosting | 66 | $126,321 | 0.27 |
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 York County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in York County. Maine has 24 local measures on record statewide.
York County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border York County, Rockingham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County | 222,434 | ▲ 6.8% | 158 MW | 271 MW | — | — |
| Carroll County NH | 52,784 | ▼ 0.7% | 44 MW | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 317,222 | ▲ 3.8% | 1,799 MW | 27 MW | 8 | — |
| Oxford County | 60,346 | ▲ 0.6% | 595 MW | — | — | — |
| Rockingham County NH | 324,077 | ▲ 3.8% | 3,078 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Strafford County NH | 135,043 | ▼ 4.3% | 23 MW | 20 MW | 1 | — |
More of Maine
York County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in York County, Maine?
2 utilities have service territory in York County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Maine Power Co, Kennebunk Light & Power Dist. The largest, Central Maine Power Co, charged residential customers 23.43¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sanford, ME in?
Sanford is in York County, Maine. About 22,663 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Biddeford, ME in?
Biddeford is in York County, Maine. About 22,399 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Saco, ME in?
Saco is in York County, Maine. About 21,159 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in York County?
17 operating plants with 158 MW of capacity. The largest is Sanford Solar (49 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in York County?
271 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Freedom Pine Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in York County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in York County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cumberland County.
Is York County adding jobs?
Employers counted 79,603 jobs in 2025 against 74,512 in 2019 (+6.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does York County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for York County. Maine has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.