Ashe County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jefferson and West Jefferson
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ashe County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ashe County is home to Jefferson and West Jefferson. Construction employs 816, up 14.3% since 2019, and construction is 2.0 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 7,503 jobs in 2025, up 3.5% from 2019. Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC) is the largest utility serving Ashe 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 Ashe County
Ashe County is home to Jefferson and West Jefferson.
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 Ashe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,585 | 27,514 | ▲ 3.5% | 73rd of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,248 | 7,503 | ▲ 3.5% | 47th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,396 | $49,652 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 714 | 816 | ▲ 14.3% | 34th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
27,514 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Ashe County
Utilities with service territory in Ashe 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 Ashe County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ashe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,503 | $49,652 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 816 | $72,160 | 2.05 |
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 Ashe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ashe County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Watauga County.
Ashe County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Ashe County, Grayson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashe County | 27,514 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Alleghany County | 11,479 | ▲ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Grayson County VA | 15,230 | ▲ 1.2% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Johnson County TN | 18,718 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Watauga County | 54,786 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Wilkes County | 66,233 | ▼ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Ashe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ashe County, North Carolina?
1 utility has service territory in Ashe 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 Ashe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ashe County.
Is Ashe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,503 jobs in 2025 against 7,248 in 2019 (+3.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 714 to 816.
Does Ashe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ashe County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.