Swain County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bryson City
Swain County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Employers here counted 6,871 jobs in 2025, down 32.9% from 2019. Swain County is home to Bryson City. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “12-month data center moratorium”. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Construction employs 191, up 1.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Swain County
Swain County is home to Bryson City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cherokee.
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 Swain County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,107 | 14,024 | ▼ 0.6% | 89th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,239 | 6,871 | ▼ 32.9% | 100th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,717 | $50,665 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 188 | 191 | ▲ 1.6% | 50th of 60 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 3.0% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 255 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 14, at an average $33,092 a year. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Swain County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 14,024 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Swain County
Utilities with service territory in Swain 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% |
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 | 255 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fontana Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 255 MW | 1945 |
The Swain County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,871 | $50,665 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 191 | $56,368 | 0.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 14 | $33,092 | 0.28 |
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 Swain County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-04 |
Swain County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Swain County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swain County | 14,024 | ▼ 32.9% | 255 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Blount County TN | 143,820 | ▲ 11.3% | 217 MW | — | — | — |
| Graham County | 8,190 | ▼ 8.3% | 185 MW | — | — | — |
| Haywood County | 63,369 | ▼ 2.1% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 45,039 | ▲ 36.6% | 51 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Macon County | 39,232 | ▲ 10.7% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Sevier County TN | 101,342 | ▲ 8.3% | 151 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Swain County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Swain County, North Carolina?
1 utility has service territory in Swain County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Swain County?
1 operating plant with 255 MW of capacity. The largest is Fontana Dam (255 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Swain County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Swain County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jackson County.
Is Swain County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,871 jobs in 2025 against 10,239 in 2019 (-32.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 188 to 191.
Does Swain County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Swain County, 1 in force.