Howard County, Maryland: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elkridge and North Laurel
Howard County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Howard County, 10% of Maryland's total. Howard County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Elkridge, North Laurel, are unincorporated and governed by the county. The Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “S.M.A.R.T. Siting Act moratorium through Nov. 2, 2027”. Construction employs 11,104, down 4.0% since 2019. 43 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Howard County
Howard County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Elkridge, North Laurel, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Elkridge, North Laurel, Columbia, Ellicott City, Fulton, Highland, Ilchester, Jessup, Lisbon, Savage, Scaggsville.
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 Howard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Maryland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 332,809 | 339,183 | ▲ 1.9% | 6th of 24 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 174,642 | 173,088 | ▼ 0.9% | 19th of 24 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $70,813 | $90,296 | ▲ 27.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,561 | 11,104 | ▼ 4.0% | 11th of 15 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,564 | 1,582 | ▲ 1.2% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 453 | 368 | ▼ 18.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.4% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 43 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 1,582, up 1.2% since 2019 against up 0.7% statewide, at an average $92,255 a year. Its power plants have 47 MW of capacity, 95% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Baltimore Gas & Electric Co is the largest utility serving Howard County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.91¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.84¢ median for Maryland utilities. Employers here counted 173,088 jobs in 2025, down 0.9% from 2019. 339,183 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020, 6th of 24 Maryland counties by population.
Who powers Howard County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +43 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Howard 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% |
| The Potomac Edison Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 256,568 | 13.83¢ | 15% |
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 26
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 44 MW | 95% |
| Natural gas | 1 MW | 2% |
| Other technologies | 1 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KDC Solar TC Blandair Park LLC | CleanCapital Holdings | Solar | 2 MW | 2022 |
| KDC Solar CV Cedar Lane Park LLC | KDC Solar CV Cedar Lane Park LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
| TPE MD HO93 | Pivot Energy | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Old Court Rd Solar | SRC Partnership 1, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| MD - CPG - Ten Oaks | Solar DG MD Ten Oaks LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
| KDC Solar TC Little Patuxent WWTP LLC | CleanCapital Holdings | Solar | 2 MW | 2022 |
The Howard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 173,088 | $90,296 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11,104 | $96,041 | 1.21 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,582 | $92,255 | 1.27 |
| Data processing and hosting | 368 | $159,553 | 0.68 |
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 Howard County
5 data centers in Howard County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 2
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| S.M.A.R.T. Siting Act moratorium through Nov. 2, 2027 | In force | 2026-06 | |
| Howard County (temporary data center moratorium through Nov 2027), MD data center moratorium | In force | 2026-06 |
Howard County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Howard County, Anne Arundel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 339,183 | ▼ 0.9% | 47 MW | — | 5 | 2 |
| Anne Arundel County | 603,380 | ▲ 6.6% | 2,173 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Baltimore County | 847,650 | ▼ 2.9% | 47 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Carroll County | 176,677 | ▲ 1.3% | 16 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Frederick County | 302,883 | ▲ 1.7% | 87 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Montgomery County | 1,074,582 | ▼ 3.4% | 500 MW | — | 10 | 3 |
| Prince George's County | 970,374 | ▲ 1.9% | 3,100 MW | 12 MW | 5 | 3 |
More of Maryland
Howard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Howard County, Maryland?
2 utilities have service territory in Howard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co, The Potomac Edison Company. The largest, Baltimore Gas & Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.91¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Howard County?
26 operating plants with 47 MW of capacity. The largest is KDC Solar TC Blandair Park LLC (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Howard County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 5 data centers in Howard County.
Is Howard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 173,088 jobs in 2025 against 174,642 in 2019 (-0.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 11,561 to 11,104.
Does Howard County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures for Howard County, 2 in force.