Whitfield County, Georgia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dalton, Varnell and Tunnel Hill
Whitfield County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Whitfield County. Whitfield County is home to Dalton, Varnell, Tunnel Hill and Cohutta. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Whitfield County
Whitfield County is home to Dalton, Varnell, Tunnel Hill and Cohutta.
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 Whitfield County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 102,790 | 106,212 | ▲ 3.3% | 26th of 159 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 56,026 | 55,935 | ▼ 0.2% | 111th of 159 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,667 | $56,647 | ▲ 26.8% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 193 | 208 | ▲ 7.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Georgia Power Co is the largest utility serving Whitfield County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.49¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.61¢ median for Georgia utilities. Employers here counted 55,935 jobs in 2025, down 0.2% from 2019. 106,212 people live here, up 3.3% since 2020.
Who powers Whitfield County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Whitfield County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,452,488 | 15.49¢ | 39% |
| North Georgia Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 90,182 | 12.18¢ | 33% |
| Dalton Utilities | Municipal | Bundled | 13,482 | 10.07¢ | 60% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield Cooper | Westbound Solar 3, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2022 |
The Whitfield County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 55,935 | $56,647 | 1.00 |
| Electric utilities | 208 | $113,495 | 1.37 |
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 Whitfield County
4 data centers in Whitfield County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Whitfield County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Whitfield County, Hamilton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitfield County | 106,212 | ▼ 0.2% | 1 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Bradley County TN | 115,465 | ▼ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Catoosa County | 69,628 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Gordon County | 61,701 | ▲ 6.2% | 5 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Hamilton County TN | 390,833 | ▲ 5.5% | 4,324 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Murray County | 41,607 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,702 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Walker County | 70,250 | ▲ 12.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Georgia
Whitfield County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Whitfield County, Georgia?
3 utilities have service territory in Whitfield County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Georgia Power Co, North Georgia Elec Member Corp, Dalton Utilities. The largest, Georgia Power Co, charged residential customers 15.49¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Dalton, GA in?
Dalton is in Whitfield County, Georgia. About 35,322 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Whitfield County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is Whitfield Cooper (1 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Whitfield County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Whitfield County.
Is Whitfield County adding jobs?
Employers counted 55,935 jobs in 2025 against 56,026 in 2019 (-0.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Whitfield County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Whitfield County. Georgia has 60 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.