Suffolk County, Massachusetts: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Boston, Revere and Chelsea
The data center boom is not abstract in Suffolk County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Suffolk County, 11% of Massachusetts's total. Suffolk County is home to Boston, Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop Town. 250 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Energizar Storage LLC (battery storage), the largest pipeline among Massachusetts's counties. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Construction employs 14,478, down 11.0% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Suffolk County
Suffolk County is home to Boston, Revere, Chelsea and Winthrop Town.
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 Suffolk County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 791,372 | 791,891 | ▲ 0.1% | 4th of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 703,058 | 712,462 | ▲ 1.3% | 2nd of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $103,721 | $138,226 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,265 | 14,478 | ▼ 11.0% | 8th of 8 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,191 | 1,719 | ▼ 21.5% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,110 | 1,102 | ▼ 0.7% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,178 | 1,488 | ▲ 26.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,370 | 3,696 | ▲ 55.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 250 MW | 93% of today's fleet | 1st of 8 by size |
7 MW has retired here since 2019, including Medical Area Total Energy Plant (petroleum, 7 MW, 2021). 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 269 MW of capacity, 62% of it petroleum. NSTAR Electric Company is the largest utility serving Suffolk County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 29.91¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.18¢ median for Massachusetts utilities. Employers here counted 712,462 jobs in 2025, up 1.3% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 14 Massachusetts counties). 791,891 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020, 4th of 14 Massachusetts counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 1,719, down 21.5% since 2019 against up 3.4% statewide, at an average $125,879 a year.
Who powers Suffolk County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Suffolk County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSTAR Electric Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,303,076 | 29.91¢ | 27% |
| Massachusetts Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,210,113 | 33.60¢ | 24% |
| Massachusetts Bay Trans Authority | — | Bundled | — | — | — |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 165 MW | 62% |
| Natural gas | 75 MW | 28% |
| Other technologies | 18 MW | 7% |
| Solar | 5 MW | 2% |
| Wind | 3 MW | 1% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 1% |
| Battery storage | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Area Total Energy Plant | MATEP LLC | Natural gas | 95 MW | 1980 |
| Deer Island Treatment Plant | Massachusetts Wtr Rauth-Deer I | Petroleum | 73 MW | 1995 |
| M Street Jet | Massachusetts Bay Trans Auth | Petroleum | 69 MW | 1979 |
| Gillette SBMC | The Gillette Company | Petroleum | 14 MW | 1971 |
| UMass Boston | MSS Energy Holdings, LLC (d.b.a. Calibrant Energy) | Petroleum | 8 MW | 1972 |
| Boston Medical Center CHP Plant | Boston Medical Center | Battery storage | 3 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energizar BESS | Batteries | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Energizar Storage LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Area Total Energy Plant | Petroleum | 7 MW | 2021 |
The Suffolk County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 712,462 | $138,226 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 14,478 | $144,973 | 0.38 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,719 | $125,879 | 0.33 |
| Power and communication line construction | 1,102 | $266,543 | 0.96 |
| Electric utilities | 1,488 | $188,391 | 0.77 |
| Data processing and hosting | 3,696 | $453,964 | 1.67 |
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 Suffolk County
6 data centers in Suffolk County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Suffolk County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Suffolk County, Middlesex 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County | 791,891 | ▲ 1.3% | 269 MW | 250 MW | 6 | — |
| Essex County | 826,653 | ▼ 0.1% | 1,154 MW | 5 MW | 3 | — |
| Middlesex County | 1,669,979 | ▼ 3.9% | 476 MW | 5 MW | 22 | 1 |
| Norfolk County | 739,749 | ▼ 1.6% | 2,741 MW | 11 MW | 2 | — |
More of Massachusetts
Suffolk County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Suffolk County, Massachusetts?
3 utilities have service territory in Suffolk County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NSTAR Electric Company, Massachusetts Electric Co, Massachusetts Bay Trans Authority. The largest, NSTAR Electric Company, charged residential customers 29.91¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Boston, MA in?
Boston is in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. About 672,973 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Revere, MA in?
Revere is in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. About 60,141 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Chelsea, MA in?
Chelsea is in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. About 40,130 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Suffolk County?
10 operating plants with 269 MW of capacity. The largest is Medical Area Total Energy Plant (95 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Suffolk County?
250 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Energizar Storage LLC.
Are there data centers in Suffolk County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Suffolk County.
Is Suffolk County adding jobs?
Employers counted 712,462 jobs in 2025 against 703,058 in 2019 (+1.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 16,265 to 14,478.
Does Suffolk County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Suffolk County. Massachusetts has 17 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.