Ritchie County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harrisville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ritchie County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ritchie County is home to Harrisville and Pennsboro. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 6.7% in 2019. Construction employs 145, up 19.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 2,968 jobs in 2025, down 5.8% from 2019. Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Ritchie County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities.
Cities and towns in Ritchie County
Ritchie County is home to Harrisville and Pennsboro.
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 Ritchie County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,424 | 8,034 | ▼ 4.6% | 44th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,151 | 2,968 | ▼ 5.8% | 44th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,694 | $54,046 | ▲ 26.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 121 | 145 | ▲ 19.8% | 9th of 26 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.7% | 4.6% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
8,034 people live here, down 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Ritchie County
Utilities with service territory in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ritchie County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,968 | $54,046 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 145 | $67,346 | 0.92 |
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 Ritchie County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ritchie County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Ritchie County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Ritchie County, Pleasants 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie County | 8,034 | ▼ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 5,978 | ▲ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Doddridge County | 7,634 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Gilmer County | 7,085 | ▼ 2.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Pleasants County | 7,338 | ▼ 18.6% | 1,795 MW | — | — | — |
| Tyler County | 7,881 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Wirt County | 4,879 | ▲ 24.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wood County | 82,385 | ▼ 0.8% | 42 MW | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Ritchie County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ritchie County.
Is Ritchie County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,968 jobs in 2025 against 3,151 in 2019 (-5.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 121 to 145.
Does Ritchie County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ritchie County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.