Cherokee County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Murphy and Andrews
Cherokee County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Cherokee County. Cherokee County is home to Murphy and Andrews. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. Its power plants have 168 MW of capacity, 98% of it hydro. Employers here counted 7,869 jobs in 2025, down 1.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Cherokee County
Cherokee County is home to Murphy and Andrews.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Marble.
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 Cherokee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,866 | 30,830 | ▲ 6.8% | 71st of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,017 | 7,869 | ▼ 1.8% | 71st of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,503 | $47,296 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24 | 24 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Cherokee County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 30,830 people live here, up 6.8% since 2020.
Who powers Cherokee County
Utilities with service territory in Cherokee 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% |
| Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,879 | 14.05¢ | 20% |
| Town of Murphy - (NC) | Municipal | Bundled | 3,685 | 12.85¢ | 20% |
| Tri-State Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 1,571 | 14.68¢ | 7% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 166 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiwassee Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 166 MW | 1940 |
| CS Murphy Point, LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2011 |
| Martins Creek Solar NC, LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2011 |
| Murphy Farm Power, LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2011 |
The Cherokee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,869 | $47,296 | 1.00 |
| Power and communication line construction | 24 | $59,495 | 1.89 |
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 Cherokee County
1 data center in Cherokee County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Cherokee County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Cherokee County, Graham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 30,830 | ▼ 1.8% | 168 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Clay County | 12,239 | ▲ 9.2% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Fannin County GA | 26,111 | ▲ 14.9% | 24 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Graham County | 8,190 | ▼ 8.3% | 185 MW | — | — | — |
| Macon County | 39,232 | ▲ 10.7% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County TN | 49,730 | ▲ 1.4% | — | 20 MW | — | — |
| Polk County TN | 18,592 | ▲ 15.1% | 164 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County GA | 27,859 | ▲ 13.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Cherokee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County, North Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Cherokee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Blue Ridge Mountain EMC - (GA), Town of Murphy - (NC), Tri-State Electric Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Cherokee County?
4 operating plants with 168 MW of capacity. The largest is Hiwassee Dam (166 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Cherokee County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Cherokee County.
Is Cherokee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,869 jobs in 2025 against 8,017 in 2019 (-1.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cherokee County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.