Williams County, Ohio: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bryan, Montpelier and Springfield Township
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Williams County. Williams County is home to Bryan, Montpelier, Springfield Township and Center Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures here (2 in force); the latest is “12-month data center moratorium”. Construction employs 549, up 28.6% since 2019. Employers here counted 16,008 jobs in 2025, down 8.8% from 2019. 1 MW has retired here since 2019, including Bridgewater Dairy Anaerobic Digester (other technologies, 1 MW, 2021).
Cities and towns in Williams County
Williams County is home to Bryan, Montpelier, Springfield Township and Center Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alvordton, Kunkle, Lake Seneca, Nettle Lake, Pulaski.
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 Williams County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Ohio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,084 | 36,549 | ▼ 1.4% | 67th of 88 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,559 | 16,008 | ▼ 8.8% | 88th of 88 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,810 | $54,121 | ▲ 29.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 427 | 549 | ▲ 28.6% | 11th of 51 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 25 | ▼ 24.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.5% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 49 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — |
49 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 135 MW of capacity, 38% of it solar. The Toledo Edison Co is the largest utility serving Williams County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.64¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.40¢ median for Ohio utilities. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 36,549 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 25, down 24.2% since 2019 against up 37.0% statewide, at an average $57,444 a year.
Who powers Williams County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +48 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Williams County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Toledo Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 278,814 | 16.64¢ | 16% |
| Midwest Energy Cooperative - (MI) | Cooperative | Bundled | 863 | 19.47¢ | 35% |
| City of Bryan - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Edgerton - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Montpelier - (OH) | — | — | — | — | — |
| North Western Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Pioneer - (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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 51 MW | 38% |
| Petroleum | 47 MW | 35% |
| Natural gas | 37 MW | 27% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montpelier Solar Project | Montpelier Solar, LLC | Solar | 49 MW | 2026 |
| Bryan (OH) | City of Bryan - (OH) | Natural gas | 39 MW | 1948 |
| Stryker | Richland-Stryker Generation LLC | Petroleum | 19 MW | 1968 |
| Bryan Peaking | American Mun Power-Ohio, Inc | Petroleum | 11 MW | 1999 |
| Montpelier | American Mun Power-Ohio, Inc | Petroleum | 11 MW | 2000 |
| Edgerton | American Mun Power-Ohio, Inc | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2000 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater Dairy Anaerobic Digester | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2021 |
The Williams County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,008 | $54,121 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 549 | $78,608 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 25 | $57,444 | 0.22 |
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 Williams County
Local measures 2
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-09 | |
| Data center moratorium | In force | 2026-09 |
Williams County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Williams County, Fulton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 36,549 | ▼ 8.8% | 135 MW | — | — | 2 |
| DeKalb County IN | 44,535 | ▼ 2.8% | 12 MW | 180 MW | — | 1 |
| Defiance County | 38,292 | ▲ 0.3% | 454 MW | 90 MW | — | — |
| Fulton County | 41,853 | ▼ 2.2% | 107 MW | 199 MW | — | — |
| Henry County | 27,598 | ▼ 1.0% | 69 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Hillsdale County MI | 45,738 | ▼ 2.0% | 314 MW | — | — | — |
| Steuben County IN | 34,799 | ▼ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Ohio
Williams County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Williams County, Ohio?
7 utilities have service territory in Williams County in the EIA-861 2024 report: The Toledo Edison Co, Midwest Energy Cooperative - (MI), City of Bryan - (OH), Village of Edgerton - (OH). The largest, The Toledo Edison Co, charged residential customers 16.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Williams County?
7 operating plants with 135 MW of capacity. The largest is Montpelier Solar Project (49 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Williams County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Williams County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Henry County.
Is Williams County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,008 jobs in 2025 against 17,559 in 2019 (-8.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 427 to 549.
Does Williams County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 2 local measures for Williams County, 2 in force.