Baltimore County, Maryland: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Arbutus and Baltimore Highlands
The data center boom is not abstract in Baltimore County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Baltimore County. Baltimore County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Arbutus, Baltimore Highlands, Bowleys Quarters, are unincorporated and governed by the county. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Freeze on data center permits pending planning study”. 195 MW has retired here since 2019, including Notch Cliff (natural gas, 144 MW, 2020). Construction employs 24,600, up 1.4% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Baltimore County
Baltimore County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Arbutus, Baltimore Highlands, Bowleys Quarters, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arbutus, Baltimore Highlands, Bowleys Quarters, Carney, Catonsville, Cockeysville, Dundalk, Edgemere, Essex, Garrison, Hampton, Honeygo, Kingsville, Lansdowne, Lochearn, Lutherville, Mays Chapel, Middle River, Milford Mill, Overlea, Owings Mills, Parkville, Perry Hall, Pikesville, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Rosedale, Rossville, Timonium, Towson, White Marsh, Woodlawn.
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 Baltimore County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 853,350 | 847,650 | ▼ 0.7% | 3rd of 24 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 380,770 | 369,662 | ▼ 2.9% | 20th of 24 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $57,710 | $74,175 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,264 | 24,600 | ▲ 1.4% | 9th of 15 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,144 | 2,807 | ▼ 10.7% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 751 | 596 | ▼ 20.6% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 181 | 394 | ▲ 117.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 37 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 195 MW | — |
37 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 47 MW of capacity, 91% of it solar. Employers here counted 369,662 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Baltimore County. Its residential customers paid an average 17.91¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.84¢ median for Maryland utilities. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 2,807, down 10.7% since 2019 against up 0.7% statewide, at an average $83,880 a year. 847,650 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020, 3rd of 24 Maryland counties by population.
Who powers Baltimore County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −158 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Baltimore County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Gas & Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,214,100 | 17.91¢ | 21% |
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 23
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 43 MW | 91% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkton Landfill | TotalEnergies Renewables USA LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| 7001 Quad Solar, LLC | SRC Partnership 12, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2023 |
| Eastern Landfill Gas LLC | NextEra Renewable Fuels, LLC | Other technologies | 4 MW | 2006 |
| THD Baltimore DCs - 5829 Project Lion | Distributed Solar Development, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2021 |
| BTC2 Solar (CSG) | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| Burns Solar One LLC | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notch Cliff | Natural gas | 144 MW | 2020 |
| Riverside (MD) | Petroleum | 50 MW | 2019 |
| General Motors Corp at White Marsh MD | Solar | 1 MW | 2021 |
The Baltimore County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 369,662 | $74,175 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 24,600 | $87,297 | 1.26 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,807 | $83,880 | 1.05 |
| Power and communication line construction | 596 | $86,233 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 394 | $154,827 | 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 Baltimore County
1 data center in Baltimore County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeze on data center permits pending planning study | In force | 2026-09 |
Baltimore County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Baltimore County, York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore County | 847,650 | ▼ 2.9% | 47 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Anne Arundel County | 603,380 | ▲ 6.6% | 2,173 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Baltimore (city) | 569,997 | ▲ 1.0% | — | — | 9 | — |
| Carroll County | 176,677 | ▲ 1.3% | 16 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Harford County | 266,446 | ▲ 0.8% | 1,090 MW | — | 1 | 2 |
| Howard County | 339,183 | ▼ 0.9% | 47 MW | — | 5 | 2 |
| York County PA | 473,197 | ▲ 1.3% | 6,218 MW | 157 MW | 1 | — |
More of Maryland
Baltimore County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Baltimore County, Maryland?
1 utility has service territory in Baltimore County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. The largest, Baltimore Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.91¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Baltimore County?
23 operating plants with 47 MW of capacity. The largest is Parkton Landfill (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Baltimore County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Baltimore County.
Is Baltimore County adding jobs?
Employers counted 369,662 jobs in 2025 against 380,770 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 24,264 to 24,600.
Does Baltimore County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Baltimore County, 1 in force.