Gilmer County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Glenville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Gilmer County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Gilmer County is home to Glenville. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 5.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,784 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019. Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Gilmer County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 7,085 people live here, down 4.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Gilmer County
Gilmer County is home to Glenville.
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 Gilmer County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,393 | 7,085 | ▼ 4.2% | 51st of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,838 | 1,784 | ▼ 2.9% | 40th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,199 | $50,666 | ▲ 26.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.7% | 3.7% | ▼ 2.0pts | — |
Who powers Gilmer County
Utilities with service territory in Gilmer 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 Gilmer County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Gilmer County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,784 | $50,666 | 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 Gilmer County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gilmer County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Gilmer County and its neighbors
None of the 5 counties bordering Gilmer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmer County | 7,085 | ▼ 2.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Braxton County | 11,885 | ▲ 33.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 5,978 | ▲ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Doddridge County | 7,634 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 16,394 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Ritchie County | 8,034 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Gilmer County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gilmer County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Gilmer 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 Gilmer County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gilmer County.
Is Gilmer County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,784 jobs in 2025 against 1,838 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Gilmer County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gilmer County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.