Summers County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hinton
Summers 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. Summers County is home to Hinton. Next door, Giles County, Virginia, has 1 data center. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 5.6% in 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Summers 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 2,131 jobs in 2025, down 0.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Summers County
Summers County is home to Hinton.
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 Summers County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,931 | 11,532 | ▼ 3.3% | 42nd of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,140 | 2,131 | ▼ 0.4% | 31st of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,196 | $45,190 | ▲ 36.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 58 | 83 | ▲ 43.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.6% | 4.5% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
11,532 people live here, down 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Summers County
Utilities with service territory in Summers 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% |
| 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 Summers County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Summers County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,131 | $45,190 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 83 | $50,833 | 0.74 |
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 Summers County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Summers County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Summers County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Summers County, Giles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summers County | 11,532 | ▼ 0.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 38,165 | ▲ 1.0% | 108 MW | — | — | — |
| Giles County VA | 16,564 | ▲ 16.1% | 27 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Greenbrier County | 31,578 | ▼ 6.9% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Mercer County | 57,503 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 12,491 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Raleigh County | 71,775 | ▲ 0.3% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Summers County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Summers County, West Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Summers County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, Monongahela Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 16.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Summers County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Summers County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Giles County.
Is Summers County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,131 jobs in 2025 against 2,140 in 2019 (-0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 58 to 83.
Does Summers County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Summers County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.