Marlboro County, South Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bennettsville and McColl
Marlboro County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Marlboro County is home to Bennettsville, McColl and Clio. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 5,404 jobs in 2025, down 20.5% from 2019. Next door, Darlington County has 425 MW of planned generation. 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Marlboro County
Marlboro County is home to Bennettsville, McColl and Clio.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Wallace.
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 Marlboro County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,494 | 25,488 | ▼ 3.8% | 36th of 46 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,797 | 5,404 | ▼ 20.5% | 45th of 46 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,133 | $54,142 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 7.0% | ▲ 2.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 63 MW of capacity, 81% of it other technologies. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Marlboro County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.88¢/kWh in 2024. 25,488 people live here, down 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Marlboro County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Marlboro County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 143,713 | 14.88¢ | 28% |
| MPD Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,874 | 10.94¢ | 27% |
| City of Bennettsville - (SC) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 51 MW | 81% |
| Solar | 12 MW | 19% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlboro Mill | Domtar Paper Company Bennettsville | Other technologies | 51 MW | 2010 |
| Shorthorn Holdings | SolRiver Capital LLC | Solar | 9 MW | 2023 |
| Hickson Solar, LLC | Hickson Solar, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2022 |
The Marlboro County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,404 | $54,142 | 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 Marlboro County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marlboro County. South Carolina has 22 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Chesterfield County.
Marlboro County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Marlboro County, Darlington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlboro County | 25,488 | ▼ 20.5% | 63 MW | — | — | — |
| Anson County NC | 21,758 | ▼ 9.4% | 576 MW | — | — | — |
| Chesterfield County | 44,740 | ▼ 9.7% | 77 MW | 151 MW | — | 1 |
| Darlington County | 62,888 | ▼ 3.9% | 1,162 MW | 425 MW | — | — |
| Dillon County | 27,458 | ▲ 2.8% | 15 MW | 81 MW | — | — |
| Florence County | 138,504 | ▲ 5.5% | 116 MW | — | — | — |
| Richmond County NC | 42,041 | ● 0.0% | 2,682 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Robeson County NC | 119,941 | ▼ 5.3% | 419 MW | 108 MW | — | — |
| Scotland County NC | 33,322 | ▲ 4.7% | 149 MW | 160 MW | — | — |
More of South Carolina
Marlboro County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marlboro County, South Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Marlboro County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), MPD Electric Cooperative, City of Bennettsville - (SC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 14.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Marlboro County?
3 operating plants with 63 MW of capacity. The largest is Marlboro Mill (51 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Marlboro County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marlboro County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Darlington County.
Is Marlboro County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,404 jobs in 2025 against 6,797 in 2019 (-20.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Marlboro County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marlboro County. South Carolina has 22 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.