Anson County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wadesboro and Polkton
Anson 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. Anson County is home to Wadesboro and Polkton. Next door, Union County has 1 data center. Construction employs 204, down 17.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 6,666 jobs in 2025, down 9.4% from 2019. 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Anson County
Anson County is home to Wadesboro and Polkton.
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 Anson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,233 | 21,758 | ▼ 2.1% | 77th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,361 | 6,666 | ▼ 9.4% | 97th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,070 | $48,935 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 248 | 204 | ▼ 17.7% | 56th of 60 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11 | 11 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.7% | 4.5% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 576 MW of capacity, 60% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 11, unchanged since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $45,485 a year. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Anson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.7% in 2019. 21,758 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Anson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Anson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,919,372 | 13.94¢ | 42% |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,356,079 | 15.54¢ | 36% |
| Pee Dee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,396 | 14.77¢ | 29% |
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 11
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 344 MW | 60% |
| Solar | 137 MW | 24% |
| Petroleum | 70 MW | 12% |
| Hydro | 25 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anson County Generation Facility | North Carolina El Member Corp | Natural gas | 344 MW | 2007 |
| Innovative Solar 37 LLC | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 100 MW | 2017 |
| Blewett | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Hydro | 95 MW | 1912 |
| Baron Solar, LLC | Headwater Energy, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| Mills Anson Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
| Selwyn Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2022 |
The Anson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,666 | $48,935 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 204 | $51,525 | 0.58 |
| Electrical contractors | 11 | $45,485 | 0.23 |
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 Anson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Anson County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Chesterfield County.
Anson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Anson County, Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anson County | 21,758 | ▼ 9.4% | 576 MW | — | — | — |
| Chesterfield County SC | 44,740 | ▼ 9.7% | 77 MW | 151 MW | — | 1 |
| Marlboro County SC | 25,488 | ▼ 20.5% | 63 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 26,403 | ▼ 5.4% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Richmond County | 42,041 | ● 0.0% | 2,682 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Stanly County | 68,830 | ▲ 22.6% | 282 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 267,674 | ▲ 20.0% | 107 MW | 12 MW | 1 | — |
More of North Carolina
Anson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Anson County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Anson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Pee Dee Electric Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Anson County?
11 operating plants with 576 MW of capacity. The largest is Anson County Generation Facility (344 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Anson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Anson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Union County.
Is Anson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,666 jobs in 2025 against 7,361 in 2019 (-9.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 248 to 204.
Does Anson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Anson County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.