Kanawha County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Charleston, South Charleston and St. Albans
Kanawha County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Kanawha County, 60% of West Virginia's total. Kanawha County is home to Charleston, South Charleston, St. Albans and Dunbar. Electrical contractors employ 412, up 30.4% since 2019 against up 37.1% statewide, at an average $85,607 a year. Construction employs 3,714, down 0.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Kanawha County
Kanawha County is home to Charleston, South Charleston, St. Albans and Dunbar.
- Nitro also extends into Putnam County.
- Montgomery also extends into Fayette County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alum Creek, Big Chimney, Chelyan, Coal Fork, Cross Lanes, Dupont City, Elkview, Eskdale, Hansford, Hollygrove, Institute, Jefferson, Malden, Pinch, Rand, Shrewsbury, Sissonville, Tornado, West Dunbar.
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 Kanawha County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 180,215 | 172,381 | ▼ 4.3% | 1st of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 96,518 | 95,946 | ▼ 0.6% | 32nd of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,190 | $64,239 | ▲ 30.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,735 | 3,714 | ▼ 0.6% | 16th of 26 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 316 | 412 | ▲ 30.4% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 209 | 36 | ▼ 82.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 29 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Kanawha 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. Employers here counted 95,946 jobs in 2025, down 0.6% from 2019. 172,381 people live here, down 4.3% since 2020, 1st of 55 West Virginia counties by population.
Who powers Kanawha County
Utilities with service territory in Kanawha 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% |
| Black Diamond Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,479 | 15.35¢ | 30% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 29 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | Appalachian Power Co | Hydro | 14 MW | 1935 |
| Marmet | Appalachian Power Co | Hydro | 14 MW | 1935 |
The Kanawha County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 95,946 | $64,239 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,714 | $82,256 | 0.73 |
| Electrical contractors | 412 | $85,607 | 0.60 |
| Data processing and hosting | 36 | $111,034 | 0.12 |
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 Kanawha County
3 data centers in Kanawha County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Kanawha County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Kanawha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | 172,381 | ▼ 0.6% | 29 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Boone County | 20,251 | ▼ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 7,538 | ▲ 23.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 38,165 | ▲ 1.0% | 108 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 27,450 | ▼ 13.1% | 192 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 19,177 | ▲ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Nicholas County | 23,848 | ▼ 2.6% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 56,885 | ▲ 11.5% | 2,957 MW | — | — | — |
| Raleigh County | 71,775 | ▲ 0.3% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Roane County | 13,317 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Kanawha County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kanawha County, West Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Kanawha County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, Black Diamond Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Charleston, WV in?
Charleston is in Kanawha County, West Virginia. About 46,117 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is South Charleston, WV in?
South Charleston is in Kanawha County, West Virginia. About 13,072 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is St. Albans, WV in?
St. Albans is in Kanawha County, West Virginia. About 10,210 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Kanawha County?
2 operating plants with 29 MW of capacity. The largest is London (14 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Kanawha County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Kanawha County.
Is Kanawha County adding jobs?
Employers counted 95,946 jobs in 2025 against 96,518 in 2019 (-0.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,735 to 3,714.
Does Kanawha County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kanawha County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.