Webster County, West Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bergoo and Parcoal
Webster 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. Webster County is home to Addison (Webster Springs). Employers here counted 1,473 jobs in 2025, down 11.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019. Monongahela Power Co is the largest utility serving Webster County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.97¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.35¢ median for West Virginia utilities. 7,760 people live here, down 7.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Webster County
Webster County is home to Addison (Webster Springs).
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bergoo, Parcoal.
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 Webster County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in West Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,354 | 7,760 | ▼ 7.1% | 46th of 55 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,668 | 1,473 | ▼ 11.7% | 50th of 55 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,139 | $41,966 | ▲ 19.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 52 | 64 | ▲ 23.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 5.0% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
Who powers Webster County
Utilities with service territory in Webster 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 Webster County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Webster County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,473 | $41,966 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 64 | $60,236 | 0.82 |
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 Webster County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Webster County. West Virginia has 0 local measures on record statewide.
Webster County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Webster County, Greenbrier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County | 7,760 | ▼ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Braxton County | 11,885 | ▲ 33.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Greenbrier County | 31,578 | ▼ 6.9% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 16,394 | ▼ 7.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Nicholas County | 23,848 | ▼ 2.6% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Pocahontas County | 7,602 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 26,882 | ▼ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Upshur County | 23,758 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of West Virginia
Webster County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Webster County, West Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Webster 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 Webster County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Webster County.
Is Webster County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,473 jobs in 2025 against 1,668 in 2019 (-11.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 52 to 64.
Does Webster County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Webster County. West Virginia has 0 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.