Polk County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tryon and Columbus
The data center boom is not abstract in Polk County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Polk County. Polk County is home to Tryon, Columbus and Saluda. Electrical contractors employ 41, up 57.7% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $146,679 a year. Employers here counted 5,598 jobs in 2025, up 11.4% from 2019. Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Polk County
Polk County is home to Tryon, Columbus and Saluda.
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 Polk County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,378 | 20,533 | ▲ 6.0% | 80th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,023 | 5,598 | ▲ 11.4% | 18th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,326 | $46,328 | ▲ 39.0% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 41 | ▲ 57.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.1% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Polk County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 20,533 people live here, up 6.0% since 2020.
Who powers Polk County
Utilities with service territory in Polk 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% |
| Rutherford Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 70,743 | 13.13¢ | 14% |
| Broad River Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 482 | 15.62¢ | 2% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turner Shoals | Northbrook Carolina Hydro LLC | Hydro | 5 MW | 1996 |
The Polk County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,598 | $46,328 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 41 | $146,679 | 1.02 |
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 Polk County
1 data center in Polk County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Polk County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Polk County, Rutherford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 20,533 | ▲ 11.4% | 5 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Greenville County SC | 583,125 | ▲ 8.2% | 13 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Henderson County | 122,375 | ▲ 10.0% | 12 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Rutherford County | 65,745 | ▼ 3.1% | 127 MW | 60 MW | 3 | — |
| Spartanburg County SC | 380,857 | ▲ 6.7% | 63 MW | — | 3 | 3 |
More of North Carolina
Polk County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Polk County, North Carolina?
3 utilities have service territory in Polk County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Rutherford Elec Member Corp, Broad River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Polk County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Turner Shoals (5 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Polk County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Polk County.
Is Polk County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,598 jobs in 2025 against 5,023 in 2019 (+11.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Polk County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Polk County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.