Mason County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Point Pleasant and New Haven
Mason County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Mason County is home to Point Pleasant, New Haven and Mason. Employers here counted 6,881 jobs in 2025, up 27.7% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 55 West Virginia counties). 29 MW of new generation is planned here across 6 units, led by Ohio Power and Light LLC (other technologies), the 5th largest pipeline among West Virginia's counties. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 1,300 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 7th largest fleet in West Virginia.
Cities and towns in Mason County
Mason County is home to Point Pleasant, New Haven and Mason.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Apple Grove, Clifton, Gallipolis Ferry.
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 Mason County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,403 | 24,707 | ▼ 2.7% | 23rd of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,389 | 6,881 | ▲ 27.7% | 2nd of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,371 | $67,835 | ▲ 46.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 3.5% | ▼ 2.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 29 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 5th of 8 by size |
Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Mason County. Its residential customers paid an average 16.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 24,707 people live here, down 2.7% since 2020.
Who powers Mason County
Utilities with service territory in Mason 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,300 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountaineer | Appalachian Power Co | Coal | 1,300 MW | 1980 |
Planned generation 6
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
| R.C. Byrd L&D Hydroelectric Project | Conventional Hydroelectric | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Ohio Power and Light LLC |
The Mason County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,881 | $67,835 | 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 Mason County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mason County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Mason County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Mason County, Gallia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 24,707 | ▲ 27.7% | 1,300 MW | 29 MW | — | — |
| Cabell County | 91,183 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Gallia County OH | 29,072 | ▲ 2.5% | 3,686 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 27,450 | ▼ 13.1% | 192 MW | — | — | — |
| Meigs County OH | 21,587 | ▼ 6.2% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 56,885 | ▲ 11.5% | 2,957 MW | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Mason County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mason County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Mason County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Mason County?
1 operating plant with 1,300 MW of capacity. The largest is Mountaineer (1,300 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Mason County?
29 MW across 6 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Ohio Power and Light LLC.
Are there data centers in Mason County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mason County.
Is Mason County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,881 jobs in 2025 against 5,389 in 2019 (+27.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Mason County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mason County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.