Pamlico County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bayboro
No data center or power plant project is on record in Pamlico County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Pamlico County is home to Bayboro, Oriental, Alliance and Grantsboro. Employers here counted 4,072 jobs in 2025, up 21.6% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 100 North Carolina counties). Construction employs 191, up 10.4% since 2019. 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Pamlico County
Pamlico County is home to Bayboro, Oriental, Alliance and Grantsboro.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Hobucken.
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 Pamlico County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,308 | 12,758 | ▲ 3.7% | 91st of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,349 | 4,072 | ▲ 21.6% | 7th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,868 | $37,986 | ▲ 19.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 173 | 191 | ▲ 10.4% | 42nd of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 10 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Duke Energy Progress - (NC) is the largest utility serving Pamlico 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. 12,758 people live here, up 3.7% since 2020.
Who powers Pamlico County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pamlico 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% |
| Tideland Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,551 | 16.18¢ | 26% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 10 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayboro Solar Farm | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Coogee Solar | SunStrong Management | Solar | 5 MW | 2021 |
The Pamlico County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,072 | $37,986 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 191 | $50,192 | 0.89 |
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 Pamlico County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pamlico County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Beaufort County.
Pamlico County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Pamlico County, Beaufort 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pamlico County | 12,758 | ▲ 21.6% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaufort County | 44,670 | ▲ 4.9% | 196 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Craven County | 105,025 | ▲ 1.8% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Pamlico County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pamlico County, North Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Pamlico County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Progress - (NC), Tideland Electric Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Progress - (NC), charged residential customers 15.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pamlico County?
2 operating plants with 10 MW of capacity. The largest is Bayboro Solar Farm (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Pamlico County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pamlico County.
Is Pamlico County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,072 jobs in 2025 against 3,349 in 2019 (+21.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 173 to 191.
Does Pamlico County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pamlico County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.