Randolph County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elkins
Randolph 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. Randolph County is home to Elkins, Beverly and Mill Creek. Construction employs 253, down 26.0% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.9% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 10,309 jobs in 2025, down 7.7% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 32, at an average $65,492 a year.
Cities and towns in Randolph County
Randolph County is home to Elkins, Beverly and Mill Creek.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bowden, Dailey, East Dailey, Helvetia, Norton, Pickens, Valley Bend, Valley Head, Whitmer.
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 Randolph County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,893 | 26,882 | ▼ 3.6% | 21st of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,170 | 10,309 | ▼ 7.7% | 48th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,058 | $46,908 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 342 | 253 | ▼ 26.0% | 23rd of 26 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 4.9% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Randolph County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 26,882 people live here, down 3.6% since 2020.
Who powers Randolph County
Utilities with service territory in Randolph 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 Randolph County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Randolph County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,309 | $46,908 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 253 | $50,568 | 0.46 |
| Electrical contractors | 32 | $65,492 | 0.43 |
| Data processing and hosting | 8 | $168,185 | 0.25 |
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 Randolph County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Randolph County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Randolph County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Randolph County, Grant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | 26,882 | ▼ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Barbour County | 15,414 | ▲ 10.4% | 98 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 11,041 | ▲ 12.0% | 2,048 MW | — | — | — |
| Pendleton County | 5,826 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Pocahontas County | 7,602 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Tucker County | 6,540 | ▲ 7.6% | 66 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
| Upshur County | 23,758 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 7,760 | ▼ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Randolph County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Randolph County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Randolph 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 Randolph County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Randolph County.
Is Randolph County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,309 jobs in 2025 against 11,170 in 2019 (-7.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 342 to 253.
Does Randolph County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Randolph County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.