Harnett County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dunn, Angier and Lillington
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Harnett County. Construction employs 2,581, up 40.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Harnett County is home to Dunn, most of Angier (7,977 of its 9,410 residents), Lillington and Erwin. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “One-year data center moratorium”. Employers here counted 29,633 jobs in 2025, up 15.1% from 2019. 20 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Harnett County
Harnett County is home to Dunn, most of Angier (7,977 of its 9,410 residents), Lillington and Erwin.
- Angier also extends into Wake County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Anderson Creek, Buies Creek, Bunnlevel, Mamers, Spout Springs.
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 Harnett County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 133,716 | 150,137 | ▲ 12.3% | 22nd of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,745 | 29,633 | ▲ 15.1% | 15th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,813 | $49,532 | ▲ 34.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,836 | 2,581 | ▲ 40.6% | 10th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
150,137 people live here, up 12.3% since 2020. Its power plants have 57 MW of capacity, 91% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 327, at an average $56,917 a year. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Harnett 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. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019.
Who powers Harnett County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Harnett 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% |
| South River Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 45,730 | 13.30¢ | 17% |
| Central Electric Membership Corp. - (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,071 | 14.34¢ | 12% |
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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 52 MW | 91% |
| Battery storage | 5 MW | 9% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angier Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2013 |
| Bunn Level Farm, LLC | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
| Church Road Solar LLC | MN8 Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2018 |
| Clovelly Solar | SunStrong Management | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
| Coats Solar Farm, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
| Docs Road BESS | North Carolina El Member Corp | Battery storage | 5 MW | 2024 |
The Harnett County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 29,633 | $49,532 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,581 | $65,228 | 1.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 327 | $56,917 | 1.53 |
| Data processing and hosting | 12 | $123,423 | 0.13 |
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 Harnett County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-05 |
Harnett County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Harnett County, Wake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harnett County | 150,137 | ▲ 15.1% | 57 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Chatham County | 85,111 | ▲ 31.9% | 42 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cumberland County | 338,473 | ▲ 1.5% | 455 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Johnston County | 256,448 | ▲ 29.2% | 112 MW | 73 MW | — | — |
| Lee County | 70,258 | ▲ 7.2% | 39 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Moore County | 110,619 | ▲ 15.6% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Sampson County | 61,504 | ▼ 5.1% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Wake County | 1,257,235 | ▲ 15.7% | 1,108 MW | 56 MW | 12 | — |
More of North Carolina
Harnett County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Harnett County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Harnett County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), South River Elec Member Corp, Central Electric Membership Corp. - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Harnett County?
13 operating plants with 57 MW of capacity. The largest is Angier Farm (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Harnett County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Harnett County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wake County.
Is Harnett County adding jobs?
Employers counted 29,633 jobs in 2025 against 25,745 in 2019 (+15.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,836 to 2,581.
Does Harnett County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Harnett County, 1 in force.