Barbour County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Philippi and Belington
No data center or power plant project is on record in Barbour County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Barbour County is home to Philippi and Belington. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019. Next door, Harrison County has 1 data center and 579 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 3,990 jobs in 2025, up 10.4% from 2019. 16 MW has retired here since 2019, including Laurel Mountain Hybrid (battery storage, 16 MW, 2025).
Cities and towns in Barbour County
Barbour County is home to Philippi and Belington.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Century, Galloway.
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 Barbour County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,463 | 15,414 | ▼ 0.3% | 36th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,615 | 3,990 | ▲ 10.4% | 12th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,599 | $57,127 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 4.5% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — |
Its power plants have 98 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Barbour County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 15,414 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Barbour County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −16 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Barbour County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monongahela Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 334,588 | 13.97¢ | 26% |
| Harrison Rural Elec Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Philippi Municipal Electric | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 98 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Mountain Hybrid | AES Distributed Energy | Wind | 98 MW | 2011 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel Mountain Hybrid | Battery storage | 16 MW | 2025 |
The Barbour County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,990 | $57,127 | 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 Barbour County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Barbour County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Barbour County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Barbour County, Harrison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour County | 15,414 | ▲ 10.4% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Harrison County | 64,221 | ▲ 1.5% | 2,052 MW | 579 MW | 1 | — |
| Preston County | 34,004 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 26,882 | ▼ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Taylor County | 16,287 | ▲ 9.5% | — | 30 MW | — | — |
| Tucker County | 6,540 | ▲ 7.6% | 66 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
| Upshur County | 23,758 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Barbour County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Barbour County, West Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Barbour County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Monongahela Power Co, Harrison Rural Elec Assn, Inc, Philippi Municipal Electric. The largest, Monongahela Power Co, charged residential customers 13.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Barbour County?
1 operating plant with 98 MW of capacity. The largest is Laurel Mountain Hybrid (98 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Barbour County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Barbour County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Harrison County.
Is Barbour County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,990 jobs in 2025 against 3,615 in 2019 (+10.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Barbour County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Barbour County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.