Bristol County, Rhode Island: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bristol, Barrington and Warren
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bristol County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bristol County is home to Bristol, Barrington and Warren. Next door, Providence County has 7 data centers. Employers here counted 15,131 jobs in 2025, up 9.5% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 5 Rhode Island counties). 16 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar, the 5th largest fleet in Rhode Island.
Cities and towns in Bristol County
Bristol County is home to Bristol, Barrington and Warren.
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 Bristol County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,781 | 50,001 | ▼ 1.5% | 5th of 5 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,819 | 15,131 | ▲ 9.5% | 2nd of 5 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,299 | $64,819 | ▲ 46.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
The Narragansett Electric Co is the largest utility serving Bristol County. Its residential customers paid an average 28.26¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. 50,001 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020, 5th of 5 Rhode Island counties by population.
Who powers Bristol County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +16 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bristol County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Narragansett Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 451,381 | 28.26¢ | 26% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol Landfill Solar | NuGen Capital Management | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Blackhorse Farm Solar, LLC CSG | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 4 MW | 2020 |
| TPE RI WA1 Solar | TPE RI WA1, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2024 |
| TPE RI WA2 Solar | TPE RI WA2, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2024 |
The Bristol County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,131 | $64,819 | 1.00 |
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 Bristol County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bristol County. Rhode Island has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Bristol County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Bristol County, Providence 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County | 50,001 | ▲ 9.5% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Bristol County MA | 593,640 | ▼ 1.5% | 596 MW | 189 MW | — | — |
| Providence County | 678,179 | ▲ 0.5% | 1,907 MW | 4 MW | 7 | — |
More of Rhode Island
Bristol County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bristol County, Rhode Island?
1 utility has service territory in Bristol County in the EIA-861 2024 report: The Narragansett Electric Co. The largest, The Narragansett Electric Co, charged residential customers 28.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bristol, RI in?
Bristol is in Bristol County, Rhode Island. About 21,970 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Barrington, RI in?
Barrington is in Bristol County, Rhode Island. About 16,961 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Warren, RI in?
Warren is in Bristol County, Rhode Island. About 11,070 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bristol County?
4 operating plants with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Bristol Landfill Solar (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Bristol County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bristol County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Providence County.
Is Bristol County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,131 jobs in 2025 against 13,819 in 2019 (+9.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bristol County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bristol County. Rhode Island has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.