Madison County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mars Hill
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Madison County. Construction employs 357, up 69.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 30, up 66.7% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $57,574 a year. Madison County is home to Mars Hill, Marshall and Hot Springs. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Expired local moratorium on data centers through June 13, 2024”. Employers here counted 4,351 jobs in 2025, up 8.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Madison County
Madison County is home to Mars Hill, Marshall and Hot 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 Madison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,292 | 22,553 | ▲ 5.9% | 76th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,003 | 4,351 | ▲ 8.7% | 28th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,122 | $49,104 | ▲ 39.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 211 | 357 | ▲ 69.2% | 3rd of 60 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18 | 30 | ▲ 66.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 50% of it hydro. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Madison 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. 22,553 people live here, up 5.9% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Who powers Madison County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Madison 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% |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 36,147 | 14.78¢ | 20% |
| Haywood Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,078 | 16.60¢ | 8% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 6 MW | 50% |
| Battery storage | 4 MW | 35% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 15% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs Energy Storage & Microgrid | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Battery storage | 6 MW | 2022 |
| Marshall Dam | Duke Energy Progress - (NC) | Hydro | 5 MW | 1985 |
| Ivy River Hydro | Madison Hydro Partners | Hydro | 1 MW | 1985 |
The Madison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,351 | $49,104 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 357 | $58,578 | 1.55 |
| Electrical contractors | 30 | $57,574 | 0.96 |
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 Madison County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expired local moratorium on data centers through June 13, 2024 | Failed / vetoed | 2023-06 |
Madison County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Madison County, Buncombe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 22,553 | ▲ 8.7% | 12 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Buncombe County | 277,417 | ▼ 0.2% | 1,033 MW | 57 MW | 3 | — |
| Cocke County TN | 37,889 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County TN | 73,831 | ▼ 0.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Haywood County | 63,369 | ▼ 2.1% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Unicoi County TN | 17,856 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Yancey County | 19,084 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Madison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Madison County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Madison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), French Broad Elec Member Corp, Haywood Electric Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Madison County?
3 operating plants with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Hot Springs Energy Storage & Microgrid (6 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Madison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Madison County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Buncombe County.
Is Madison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,351 jobs in 2025 against 4,003 in 2019 (+8.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 211 to 357.
Does Madison County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Madison County, 0 in force.