Raleigh County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Beckley, Mabscott and Sophia
No data center or power plant project is on record in Raleigh County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Raleigh County is home to Beckley, Mabscott and Sophia. Next door, Kanawha County has 3 data centers. Construction employs 1,102, down 12.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 67, up 6.3% since 2019 against up 37.1% statewide, at an average $55,168 a year. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Raleigh County
Raleigh County is home to Beckley, Mabscott and Sophia.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beaver, Bolt, Bradley, Coal City, Colcord, Crab Orchard, Daniels, Dorothy, Eccles, Ghent, Glen White, Helen, MacArthur, Piney View, Prosperity, Raleigh, Shady Spring, Sprague, Stanaford.
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 Raleigh County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 74,404 | 71,775 | ▼ 3.5% | 6th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32,067 | 32,153 | ▲ 0.3% | 30th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,173 | $55,486 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,259 | 1,102 | ▼ 12.5% | 20th of 26 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 63 | 67 | ▲ 6.3% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 90 | 90 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Raleigh 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 32,153 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 71,775 people live here, down 3.5% since 2020, 6th of 55 West Virginia counties by population.
Who powers Raleigh County
Utilities with service territory in Raleigh 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New River Clean Energy | Cox Enterprises | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2017 |
The Raleigh County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 32,153 | $55,486 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,102 | $61,802 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 67 | $55,168 | 0.29 |
| Power and communication line construction | 15 | $102,082 | 0.29 |
| Electric utilities | 90 | $108,778 | 1.03 |
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 Raleigh County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Raleigh County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Raleigh County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Raleigh County, Kanawha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh County | 71,775 | ▲ 0.3% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 20,251 | ▼ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 38,165 | ▲ 1.0% | 108 MW | — | — | — |
| Kanawha County | 172,381 | ▼ 0.6% | 29 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Mercer County | 57,503 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Summers County | 11,532 | ▼ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wyoming County | 19,801 | ▲ 6.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Raleigh County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Raleigh County, West Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Raleigh 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 Beckley, WV in?
Beckley is in Raleigh County, West Virginia. About 16,373 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Raleigh County?
1 operating plant with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is New River Clean Energy (3 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Raleigh County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Raleigh County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kanawha County.
Is Raleigh County adding jobs?
Employers counted 32,153 jobs in 2025 against 32,067 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,259 to 1,102.
Does Raleigh County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Raleigh County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.