Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Huntingdon, Smithfield Township and Shirley Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Huntingdon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Huntingdon County is home to Huntingdon, Smithfield Township, Shirley Township and Mount Union. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 5.8% in 2019. Construction employs 630, up 9.9% since 2019. Its power plants have 24 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 100, at an average $77,227 a year.
Cities and towns in Huntingdon County
Huntingdon County is home to Huntingdon, Smithfield Township, Shirley Township and Mount Union.
And 16 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allenport, McConnellstown.
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 Huntingdon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 44,043 | 43,001 | ▼ 2.4% | 49th of 67 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,730 | 12,771 | ▲ 0.3% | 23rd of 67 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,102 | $50,541 | ▲ 26.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 573 | 630 | ▲ 9.9% | 20th of 62 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.8% | 4.1% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co is the largest utility serving Huntingdon County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.37¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.30¢ median for Pennsylvania utilities. Employers here counted 12,771 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 43,001 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Huntingdon County
Utilities with service territory in Huntingdon County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,802,612 | 17.37¢ | 16% |
| Valley Rural Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,180 | 14.87¢ | 27% |
| New Enterprise R E C, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 24 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William F Matson Generating Station | Allegheny Electric Coop Inc | Hydro | 22 MW | 1988 |
| Warrior Ridge Hydro | American Hydro Power Company | Hydro | 3 MW | 1985 |
The Huntingdon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,771 | $50,541 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 630 | $67,554 | 0.93 |
| Electrical contractors | 100 | $77,227 | 1.09 |
| Power and communication line construction | 53 | $55,247 | 2.57 |
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 Huntingdon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Huntingdon County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures on record statewide.
Huntingdon County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Huntingdon County, Centre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon County | 43,001 | ▲ 0.3% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| Bedford County | 47,480 | ▲ 5.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Blair County | 119,541 | ▼ 0.1% | 252 MW | — | — | — |
| Centre County | 157,393 | ▲ 1.7% | 28 MW | 162 MW | — | — |
| Franklin County | 160,652 | ▲ 2.4% | 518 MW | 40 MW | — | — |
| Fulton County | 14,483 | ▼ 9.2% | 70 MW | — | — | — |
| Juniata County | 23,403 | ▼ 9.6% | 20 MW | 83 MW | — | — |
| Mifflin County | 46,127 | ▲ 6.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Pennsylvania
Huntingdon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania?
3 utilities have service territory in Huntingdon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, Valley Rural Electric Coop Inc, New Enterprise R E C, Inc. The largest, FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co, charged residential customers 17.37¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Huntingdon County?
2 operating plants with 24 MW of capacity. The largest is William F Matson Generating Station (22 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Huntingdon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Huntingdon County.
Is Huntingdon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,771 jobs in 2025 against 12,730 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 573 to 630.
Does Huntingdon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Huntingdon County. Pennsylvania has 36 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.