Jackson County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ravenswood and Ripley
Jackson 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. Electrical contractors employ 50, up 194.1% since 2019 against up 37.1% statewide, at an average $100,979 a year. Jackson County is home to Ravenswood and Ripley. Next door, Kanawha County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 7,732 jobs in 2025, down 13.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Ravenswood and Ripley.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cottageville.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,723 | 27,450 | ▼ 1.0% | 20th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,893 | 7,732 | ▼ 13.1% | 53rd of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,615 | $54,912 | ▲ 10.7% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17 | 50 | ▲ 194.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 4.8% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 192 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
192 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 192 MW of capacity, 59% of it solar, the 9th largest fleet in West Virginia. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Jackson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 27,450 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +192 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jackson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 348,946 | 16.77¢ | 27% |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 113 MW | 59% |
| Battery storage | 79 MW | 41% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHER Ravenswood Solar 1 | BHER Ravenswood Solar 1, LLC | Battery storage | 192 MW | 2025 |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,732 | $54,912 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 50 | $100,979 | 0.90 |
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 Jackson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jackson County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Jackson County, Putnam 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 27,450 | ▼ 13.1% | 192 MW | — | — | — |
| Kanawha County | 172,381 | ▼ 0.6% | 29 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Mason County | 24,707 | ▲ 27.7% | 1,300 MW | 29 MW | — | — |
| Meigs County OH | 21,587 | ▼ 6.2% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 56,885 | ▲ 11.5% | 2,957 MW | — | — | — |
| Roane County | 13,317 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Wirt County | 4,879 | ▲ 24.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wood County | 82,385 | ▼ 0.8% | 42 MW | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, West Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, Monongahela Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jackson County?
1 operating plant with 192 MW of capacity. The largest is BHER Ravenswood Solar 1 (192 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jackson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kanawha County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,732 jobs in 2025 against 8,893 in 2019 (-13.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.