Avery County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Banner Elk
Avery 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. Avery County is home to Banner Elk, Newland and Elk Park. Construction employs 589, up 36.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 7,784 jobs in 2025, up 16.1% from 2019. Next door, Caldwell County has 4 data centers. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Avery County
Avery County is home to Banner Elk, Newland and Elk Park.
- Beech Mountain also extends into Watauga County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Linville.
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 Avery County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,918 | 18,110 | ▲ 1.1% | 84th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,706 | 7,784 | ▲ 16.1% | 12th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,805 | $47,753 | ▲ 41.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 433 | 589 | ▲ 36.0% | 11th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Avery County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 18,110 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Avery County
Utilities with service territory in Avery County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,356,079 | 15.54¢ | 36% |
| Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 71,926 | 14.59¢ | 24% |
| Mountain Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,491 | 12.51¢ | 36% |
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 Avery County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Avery County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,784 | $47,753 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 589 | $55,296 | 1.43 |
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 Avery County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Avery County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Carter County, McDowell County, Watauga County.
Avery County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Avery County, Caldwell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery County | 18,110 | ▲ 16.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Burke County | 88,655 | ● 0.0% | 48 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 81,105 | ▲ 0.2% | 40 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Carter County TN | 57,361 | ▲ 11.3% | 68 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Johnson County TN | 18,718 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| McDowell County | 45,198 | ▼ 3.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Mitchell County | 15,062 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Watauga County | 54,786 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of North Carolina
Avery County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Avery County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Avery County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC), Mountain Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Avery County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Avery County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Caldwell County.
Is Avery County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,784 jobs in 2025 against 6,706 in 2019 (+16.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 433 to 589.
Does Avery County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Avery County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.