Jones County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
New generation is lining up in Jones County. Electrical contractors employ 34, up 240.0% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $49,958 a year. Jones County is home to Maysville. 224 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among North Carolina's counties. Construction employs 142, up 2.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 91 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Jones County
Jones County is home to Maysville.
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 Jones County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,150 | 9,575 | ▲ 4.6% | 97th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,613 | 1,581 | ▼ 2.0% | 72nd of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,694 | $50,616 | ▲ 41.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 139 | 142 | ▲ 2.2% | 49th of 60 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10 | 34 | ▲ 240.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 91 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 224 MW | 186% of today's fleet | 2nd of 30 by size |
Its power plants have 120 MW of capacity, 96% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,581 jobs in 2025, down 2.0% from 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Jones County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 9,575 people live here, up 4.6% since 2020.
Who powers Jones County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +91 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jones 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% |
| Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 79,690 | 13.09¢ | 19% |
| Carteret-Craven El Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 38,858 | 12.15¢ | 23% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,523 | 12.76¢ | 22% |
| City of New Bern - (NC) | Municipal | Bundled | 21,226 | 12.65¢ | 40% |
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 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 116 MW | 96% |
| Battery storage | 5 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent River Solar, LLC | SunStrong Management | Solar | 79 MW | 2021 |
| Badger | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2019 |
| Bondi Solar | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Daystar Solar | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Maysville BESS | North Carolina El Member Corp | Battery storage | 5 MW | 2024 |
| Pollocksville Solar | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Walnut Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Timber Mill Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Black Walnut Solar, LLC | Batteries | 32 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Timber Mill Solar | Batteries | 32 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
The Jones County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,581 | $50,616 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 142 | $45,633 | 1.70 |
| Electrical contractors | 34 | $49,958 | 2.98 |
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 Jones County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jones County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide.
Jones County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jones County, Duplin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County | 9,575 | ▼ 2.0% | 120 MW | 224 MW | — | — |
| Carteret County | 70,469 | ▲ 8.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Craven County | 105,025 | ▲ 1.8% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
| Duplin County | 51,571 | ▲ 3.9% | 195 MW | 123 MW | — | — |
| Lenoir County | 55,837 | ▲ 3.5% | 165 MW | — | — | — |
| Onslow County | 217,175 | ▲ 9.8% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Jones County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jones County, North Carolina?
5 utilities have service territory in Jones County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Jones-Onslow Elec Member Corp, Carteret-Craven El Member Corp, Tri-County Elec Member Corp (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jones County?
10 operating plants with 120 MW of capacity. The largest is Trent River Solar, LLC (79 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Jones County?
224 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cypress Creek Renewables.
Are there data centers in Jones County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jones County.
Is Jones County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,581 jobs in 2025 against 1,613 in 2019 (-2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 139 to 142.
Does Jones County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jones County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.