Washington County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Marietta, Belpre and Muskingum Township
Washington County hosts some of the generating capacity Ohio runs on. Washington County is home to Marietta, Belpre, Muskingum Township and Marietta Township. Next door, Monroe County has 1 data center. Construction employs 1,565, down 9.1% since 2019. Its power plants have 1,636 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 6th largest fleet in Ohio. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Marietta, Belpre, Muskingum Township and Marietta Township.
And 5 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Devola, Little Hocking, Newport, Reno, Vincent, Waterford.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 59,657 | 58,389 | ▼ 2.1% | 44th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,399 | 25,437 | ▲ 0.1% | 48th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,242 | $61,409 | ▲ 27.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,722 | 1,565 | ▼ 9.1% | 46th of 51 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 113 | 113 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 3.8% | ▼ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Ohio Power Co is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.33¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Employers here counted 25,437 jobs in 2025, up 0.1% from 2019. 58,389 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Utilities with service territory in Washington County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,339,232 | 19.33¢ | 22% |
| Washington Electric Coop - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,636 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterford Power, LLC | Waterford Power, LLC | Natural gas | 922 MW | 2003 |
| Washington Energy Facility | Dynegy Washington Energy Facility | Natural gas | 715 MW | 2002 |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 25,437 | $61,409 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,565 | $73,707 | 1.16 |
| Electric utilities | 113 | $139,273 | 1.64 |
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 Washington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington County. Ohio has 105 local measures on record statewide.
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Washington County, Pleasants 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 58,389 | ▲ 0.1% | 1,636 MW | — | — | — |
| Athens County | 63,197 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 12,994 | ▼ 5.9% | 530 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Morgan County | 13,626 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Noble County | 14,276 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Pleasants County WV | 7,338 | ▼ 18.6% | 1,795 MW | — | — | — |
| Tyler County WV | 7,881 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Wood County WV | 82,385 | ▼ 0.8% | 42 MW | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, Ohio?
2 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ohio Power Co, Washington Electric Coop - (OH). The largest, Ohio Power Co, charged residential customers 19.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Marietta, OH in?
Marietta is in Washington County, Ohio. About 13,053 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Washington County?
2 operating plants with 1,636 MW of capacity. The largest is Waterford Power, LLC (922 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Monroe County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 25,437 jobs in 2025 against 25,399 in 2019 (+0.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,722 to 1,565.
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. Ohio has 105 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.