Graham County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Graham 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. Graham County is home to Robbinsville. Construction employs 445, up 4.7% since 2019, and construction is 4.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Cherokee County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,952 jobs in 2025, down 8.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Graham County
Graham County is home to Robbinsville.
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 Graham County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,039 | 8,190 | ▲ 1.9% | 98th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,128 | 1,952 | ▼ 8.3% | 95th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,868 | $50,890 | ▲ 41.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 425 | 445 | ▲ 4.7% | 46th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 3.2% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 185 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Graham County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 8,190 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Graham County
Utilities with service territory in Graham 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% |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 185 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheoah | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Hydro | 140 MW | 1949 |
| Santeetlah | Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower LP | Hydro | 45 MW | 1928 |
The Graham County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,952 | $50,890 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 445 | $69,359 | 4.30 |
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 Graham County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Graham County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Swain County.
Graham County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Graham County, Cherokee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham County | 8,190 | ▼ 8.3% | 185 MW | — | — | — |
| Blount County TN | 143,820 | ▲ 11.3% | 217 MW | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County | 30,830 | ▼ 1.8% | 168 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Macon County | 39,232 | ▲ 10.7% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County TN | 49,730 | ▲ 1.4% | — | 20 MW | — | — |
| Swain County | 14,024 | ▼ 32.9% | 255 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of North Carolina
Graham County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Graham County, North Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Graham County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Tennessee Valley Authority. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Graham County?
2 operating plants with 185 MW of capacity. The largest is Cheoah (140 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Graham County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Graham County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cherokee County.
Is Graham County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,952 jobs in 2025 against 2,128 in 2019 (-8.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 425 to 445.
Does Graham County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Graham County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.