Alleghany County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sparta
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alleghany County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 208, up 55.2% since 2019. Alleghany County is home to Sparta. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 3,404 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019. Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC) is the largest utility serving Alleghany County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities.
Cities and towns in Alleghany County
Alleghany County is home to Sparta.
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 Alleghany County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,891 | 11,479 | ▲ 5.4% | 93rd of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,252 | 3,404 | ▲ 4.7% | 42nd of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,404 | $46,949 | ▲ 44.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 134 | 208 | ▲ 55.2% | 5th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
11,479 people live here, up 5.4% since 2020.
Who powers Alleghany County
Utilities with service territory in Alleghany County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 71,926 | 14.59¢ | 24% |
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 Alleghany County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Alleghany County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,404 | $46,949 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 208 | $46,000 | 1.15 |
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 Alleghany County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alleghany County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Surry County.
Alleghany County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Alleghany County, Surry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alleghany County | 11,479 | ▲ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Ashe County | 27,514 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Grayson County VA | 15,230 | ▲ 1.2% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Surry County | 72,287 | ▼ 0.8% | 92 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Wilkes County | 66,233 | ▼ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Alleghany County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alleghany County, North Carolina?
1 utility has service territory in Alleghany County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC). The largest, Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC), charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Alleghany County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alleghany County.
Is Alleghany County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,404 jobs in 2025 against 3,252 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 134 to 208.
Does Alleghany County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alleghany County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.