Lee County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sanford and Broadway
Lee County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lee County. Lee County is home to Sanford and Broadway. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Lee County data center moratorium”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Lower Moncure Road data center. Employers here counted 27,415 jobs in 2025, up 7.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Sanford and Broadway.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 63,388 | 70,258 | ▲ 10.8% | 41st of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 25,580 | 27,415 | ▲ 7.2% | 31st of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,311 | $60,057 | ▲ 41.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. 70,258 people live here, up 10.8% since 2020. Its power plants have 39 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 172, at an average $57,972 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities.
Who powers Lee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lee 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% |
| 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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 39 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1025 Traveller Solar, LLC | CI-II Mitchell Holding LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2019 |
| Balsam | SRE Utility Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
| Boaz Farm Solar | CD Global Solar Holdings, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Cotten Farm, LLC | Heelstone Energy Holdings, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
| Elm Solar, LLC | SRE Utility Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
| Sweetgum Solar | SRE Utility Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 27,415 | $60,057 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 172 | $57,972 | 0.87 |
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 Lee County
1 data center in Lee County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County data center moratorium | In force | 2026-03 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Moncure Road data center | approved amid opposition | — |
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Lee County, Harnett 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 70,258 | ▲ 7.2% | 39 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Chatham County | 85,111 | ▲ 31.9% | 42 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Harnett County | 150,137 | ▲ 15.1% | 57 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Moore County | 110,619 | ▲ 15.6% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, North Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Central Electric Membership Corp. - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sanford, NC in?
Sanford is in Lee County, North Carolina. About 34,138 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lee County?
9 operating plants with 39 MW of capacity. The largest is 1025 Traveller Solar, LLC (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lee County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Lee County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 27,415 jobs in 2025 against 25,580 in 2019 (+7.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Lee County, 1 in force.