Calhoun County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Calhoun County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 12.1% in 2019. Construction employs 179, up 73.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Calhoun County is home to Grantsville. Employers here counted 1,206 jobs in 2025, up 8.9% from 2019. Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Calhoun County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities.
Cities and towns in Calhoun County
Calhoun County is home to Grantsville.
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 Calhoun County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,203 | 5,978 | ▼ 3.6% | 53rd of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,107 | 1,206 | ▲ 8.9% | 15th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,521 | $55,927 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 103 | 179 | ▲ 73.8% | 2nd of 26 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 12.1% | 4.9% | ▼ 7.2pts | — |
5,978 people live here, down 3.6% since 2020.
Who powers Calhoun County
Utilities with service territory in Calhoun 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% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Calhoun County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Calhoun County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,206 | $55,927 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 179 | $99,964 | 2.80 |
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 Calhoun County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Calhoun County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Calhoun County and its neighbors
None of the 6 counties bordering Calhoun County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 5,978 | ▲ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Braxton County | 11,885 | ▲ 33.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 7,538 | ▲ 23.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Gilmer County | 7,085 | ▼ 2.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Ritchie County | 8,034 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Roane County | 13,317 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Wirt County | 4,879 | ▲ 24.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Calhoun County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Calhoun County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Calhoun County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Monongahela Power Co. The largest, Monongahela Power Co, charged residential customers 13.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Calhoun County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Calhoun County.
Is Calhoun County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,206 jobs in 2025 against 1,107 in 2019 (+8.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 103 to 179.
Does Calhoun County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Calhoun County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.