Union County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Union 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. Union County is home to Blairsville. Construction employs 409, up 34.1% since 2019. Next door, Cherokee County, North Carolina, has 1 data center. Employers here counted 7,856 jobs in 2025, up 13.3% from 2019. 27,859 people live here, up 12.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to Blairsville.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,808 | 27,859 | ▲ 12.3% | 71st of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,934 | 7,856 | ▲ 13.3% | 41st of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,735 | $48,487 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 305 | 409 | ▲ 34.1% | 45th of 97 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA) is the largest utility serving Union County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers Union County
Utilities with service territory in Union 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nottely | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 16 MW | 1956 |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,856 | $48,487 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 409 | $50,597 | 0.98 |
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 Union County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Union County. Georgia has 60 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clay County, Fannin County.
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Union County, Cherokee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 27,859 | ▲ 13.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County NC | 30,830 | ▼ 1.8% | 168 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Clay County NC | 12,239 | ▲ 9.2% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Fannin County | 26,111 | ▲ 14.9% | 24 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Lumpkin County | 36,178 | ▲ 15.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Towns County | 13,285 | ● 0.0% | — | — | — | — |
| White County | 29,802 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Georgia
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, Georgia?
1 utility has service territory in Union 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.
What power plants are in Union County?
1 operating plant with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Nottely (16 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Union County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Union County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cherokee County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,856 jobs in 2025 against 6,934 in 2019 (+13.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 305 to 409.
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Union County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.