Frederick County, Maryland: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Frederick and Brunswick, and the communities of Urbana and Ballenger Creek
Frederick County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Frederick County, 8% of Maryland's total. Frederick County is home to Frederick, Brunswick, Walkersville and Thurmont, plus the unincorporated communities of Urbana and Ballenger Creek. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Data center permitting pause through end of 2026”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Quantum Frederick. Construction employs 9,815, down 5.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Frederick County
Frederick County is home to Frederick, Brunswick, Walkersville and Thurmont, plus the unincorporated communities of Urbana and Ballenger Creek.
- Mount Airy also extends into Carroll County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Urbana, Ballenger Creek, Adamstown, Bartonsville, Braddock Heights, Buckeystown, Graceham, Green Valley, Jefferson, Lewistown, Libertytown, Linganore, Monrovia, Point of Rocks, Sabillasville, Spring Ridge.
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 Frederick County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 272,767 | 302,883 | ▲ 11.0% | 7th of 24 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 105,170 | 106,962 | ▲ 1.7% | 12th of 24 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,971 | $70,784 | ▲ 33.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,376 | 9,815 | ▼ 5.4% | 12th of 15 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,287 | 1,031 | ▼ 19.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 153 | 110 | ▼ 28.1% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 99 | 356 | ▲ 259.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 45 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
45 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 302,883 people live here, up 11.0% since 2020, 7th of 24 Maryland counties by population. Its power plants have 87 MW of capacity, 93% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 106,962 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019. The Potomac Edison Company is the largest utility serving Frederick County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.83¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.84¢ median for Maryland utilities. Electrical contractors employ 1,031, down 19.9% since 2019 against up 0.7% statewide, at an average $77,051 a year.
Who powers Frederick County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +45 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Frederick County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Potomac Edison Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 256,568 | 13.83¢ | 15% |
| Thurmont Municipal Light Co | — | — | — | — | — |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 81 MW | 93% |
| Battery storage | 6 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Detrick Solar PV | Montevue Lane Solar, LLC | Battery storage | 22 MW | 2016 |
| LeGore Bridge Solar Center | LeGore Bridge Solar Center, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2025 |
| Biggs Ford Solar Center | Biggs Ford Solar Center, LLC | Solar | 15 MW | 2025 |
| Mount Saint Mary's | Constellation Solar Horizons LLC | Solar | 14 MW | 2012 |
| Baker Point | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 9 MW | 2016 |
| Cannonball Solar (CSG) | AES Clean Energy | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
The Frederick County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 106,962 | $70,784 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,815 | $81,080 | 1.73 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,031 | $77,051 | 1.34 |
| Power and communication line construction | 110 | $95,472 | 0.64 |
| Electric utilities | 159 | $128,827 | 0.55 |
| Data processing and hosting | 356 | $514,602 | 1.07 |
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 Frederick County
4 data centers in Frederick County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data center permitting pause through end of 2026 | In force | 2026-07 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantum Frederick | litigation active | — |
Frederick County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Frederick County, Loudoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick County | 302,883 | ▲ 1.7% | 87 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Adams County PA | 107,594 | ▼ 5.4% | 1,088 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 176,677 | ▲ 1.3% | 16 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Franklin County PA | 160,652 | ▲ 2.4% | 518 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Howard County | 339,183 | ▼ 0.9% | 47 MW | — | 5 | 2 |
| Loudoun County VA | 449,749 | ▲ 16.8% | 812 MW | 170 MW | 342 | 1 |
| Montgomery County | 1,074,582 | ▼ 3.4% | 500 MW | — | 10 | 3 |
| Washington County | 157,731 | ▲ 1.8% | 74 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Maryland
Frederick County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Frederick County, Maryland?
2 utilities have service territory in Frederick County in the EIA-861 2024 report: The Potomac Edison Company, Thurmont Municipal Light Co. The largest, The Potomac Edison Company, charged residential customers 13.83¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Frederick, MD in?
Frederick is in Frederick County, Maryland. About 92,059 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Frederick County?
9 operating plants with 87 MW of capacity. The largest is Fort Detrick Solar PV (22 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Frederick County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Frederick County.
Is Frederick County adding jobs?
Employers counted 106,962 jobs in 2025 against 105,170 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,376 to 9,815.
Does Frederick County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Frederick County, 1 in force.