Towns County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hiawassee
Towns 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. Construction employs 263, up 68.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Towns County is home to Hiawassee and Young Harris. Next door, Habersham County has 1 data center. Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA) is the largest utility serving Towns County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Towns County
Towns County is home to Hiawassee and Young Harris.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Tate City.
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 Towns County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,552 | 13,285 | ▲ 5.8% | 111th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,393 | 3,393 | ● 0.0% | 110th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,757 | $47,230 | ▲ 39.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 263 | ▲ 68.6% | 17th of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
Employers here counted 3,393 jobs in 2025, unchanged from 2019. 13,285 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020.
Who powers Towns County
Utilities with service territory in Towns County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,599 | 14.02¢ | 35% |
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 Towns County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Towns County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,393 | $47,230 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 263 | $75,730 | 1.46 |
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 Towns County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Towns County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clay County.
Towns County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Towns County, Habersham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towns County | 13,285 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County NC | 12,239 | ▲ 9.2% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Habersham County | 50,416 | ▲ 9.6% | 117 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Rabun County | 17,764 | ▲ 6.7% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 27,859 | ▲ 13.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| White County | 29,802 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Towns County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Towns County, Georgia?
1 utility has service territory in Towns County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA). The largest, Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA), charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Towns County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Towns County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Habersham County.
Is Towns County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,393 jobs in 2025 against 3,393 in 2019 (+0.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 156 to 263.
Does Towns County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Towns County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.