Jackson County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sylva
The data center boom is not abstract in Jackson County: it is on the ground here. Employers here counted 19,262 jobs in 2025, up 36.6% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 100 North Carolina counties). The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jackson County. Jackson County is home to Sylva. Construction employs 902, up 42.3% since 2019. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “One-year data center moratorium”.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Sylva.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cashiers, Cherokee, Cullowhee, Glenville, Whittier.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 42,142 | 45,039 | ▲ 6.9% | 58th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,100 | 19,262 | ▲ 36.6% | 1st of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,028 | $49,793 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 634 | 902 | ▲ 42.3% | 9th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 51 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Jackson 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. 45,039 people live here, up 6.9% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson County
Utilities with service territory in Jackson 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% |
| Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,356,079 | 15.54¢ | 36% |
| Haywood Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,078 | 16.60¢ | 8% |
| City of Highlands - (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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 51 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thorpe | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 22 MW | 1941 |
| Tennessee Creek | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 11 MW | 1955 |
| Bear Creek Dam | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 9 MW | 1954 |
| Cedar Cliff | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 6 MW | 1952 |
| Tuckasegee | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Hydro | 3 MW | 1950 |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,262 | $49,793 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 902 | $60,146 | 0.88 |
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 Jackson County
1 data center in Jackson County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year data center moratorium | In force | 2026-08 |
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jackson County, Oconee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 45,039 | ▲ 36.6% | 51 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Haywood County | 63,369 | ▼ 2.1% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Macon County | 39,232 | ▲ 10.7% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Oconee County SC | 83,775 | ▲ 6.7% | 4,360 MW | — | — | — |
| Rabun County GA | 17,764 | ▲ 6.7% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Swain County | 14,024 | ▼ 32.9% | 255 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Transylvania County | 34,211 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | 1 | — |
More of North Carolina
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, North Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Haywood Electric Member Corp, City of Highlands - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jackson County?
5 operating plants with 51 MW of capacity. The largest is Thorpe (22 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Jackson County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,262 jobs in 2025 against 14,100 in 2019 (+36.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 634 to 902.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Jackson County, 1 in force.