Beaufort County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Washington and Belhaven
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Beaufort County. Construction employs 1,316, up 126.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Beaufort County is home to Washington, Belhaven and Chocowinity. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Beaufort County proposes one-year data center moratorium”. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. 81 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Beaufort County
Beaufort County is home to Washington, Belhaven and Chocowinity.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bayview, Cypress Landing, Pinetown, River Road.
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 Beaufort County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 44,694 | 44,670 | ▼ 0.1% | 59th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,496 | 16,255 | ▲ 4.9% | 38th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,629 | $52,445 | ▲ 35.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 580 | 1,316 | ▲ 126.9% | 1st of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 3.5% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 81 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 16,255 jobs in 2025, up 4.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 196 MW of capacity, 73% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 63, at an average $60,540 a year. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Beaufort County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 44,670 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Beaufort County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +81 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Beaufort 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% |
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 108,656 | 13.93¢ | 24% |
| Tideland Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,551 | 16.18¢ | 26% |
| City of Washington - (NC) | Municipal | Bundled | 11,547 | 13.01¢ | 40% |
| Edgecombe-Martin County E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,716 | 16.06¢ | 21% |
| Town of Belhaven - (NC) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 142 MW | 73% |
| Other technologies | 54 MW | 27% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkinson Solar LLC | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 81 MW | 2019 |
| PCS Phosphate | PCS Phosphate | Other technologies | 54 MW | 1984 |
| Beaufort Solar, LLC | Capital Power Corporation | Solar | 15 MW | 2015 |
| Washington White Post Solar LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 12 MW | 2012 |
| Bay Branch Solar | Sol Systems | Solar | 5 MW | 2018 |
| Choco Solar, LLC | Choco Solar LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2014 |
The Beaufort County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,255 | $52,445 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,316 | $75,080 | 1.53 |
| Electrical contractors | 63 | $60,540 | 0.54 |
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 Beaufort County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County proposes one-year data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Beaufort County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Beaufort County, Martin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County | 44,670 | ▲ 4.9% | 196 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Craven County | 105,025 | ▲ 1.8% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
| Hyde County | 4,554 | ▼ 6.2% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Martin County | 21,601 | ▼ 4.5% | 216 MW | — | — | — |
| Pamlico County | 12,758 | ▲ 21.6% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Pitt County | 182,936 | ▲ 4.9% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 10,638 | ▼ 3.0% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Beaufort County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Beaufort County, North Carolina?
6 utilities have service territory in Beaufort County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Virginia Electric & Power Co, Tideland Electric Member Corp, City of Washington - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Beaufort County?
11 operating plants with 196 MW of capacity. The largest is Wilkinson Solar LLC (81 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Beaufort County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Beaufort County.
Is Beaufort County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,255 jobs in 2025 against 15,496 in 2019 (+4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 580 to 1,316.
Does Beaufort County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Beaufort County, 0 in force.