Union County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Indian Trail, Monroe and Waxhaw
Union County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Union County. Union County is home to Indian Trail, Monroe, Waxhaw and most of Stallings (17,233 of its 17,760 residents). Employers here counted 78,177 jobs in 2025, up 20.0% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 100 North Carolina counties). 12 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by North Carolina El Member Corp (battery storage). 12 MW of it is already under construction or built. 267,674 people live here, up 11.7% since 2020, 8th of 100 North Carolina counties by population.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to Indian Trail, Monroe, Waxhaw and most of Stallings (17,233 of its 17,760 residents).
- Stallings also extends into Mecklenburg County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): JAARS.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 239,615 | 267,674 | ▲ 11.7% | 8th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 65,161 | 78,177 | ▲ 20.0% | 8th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,949 | $65,474 | ▲ 42.5% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,056 | 990 | ▼ 6.2% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17 | 96 | ▲ 464.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 12 MW | 11% of today's fleet | 26th of 30 by size |
Its power plants have 107 MW of capacity, 70% of it solar. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Union County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.94¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. Electrical contractors employ 990, down 6.2% since 2019 against up 19.7% statewide, at an average $74,657 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Who powers Union County
Utilities with service territory in Union 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% |
| Union Electric Membership Corp - (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 84,602 | 13.37¢ | 12% |
| Pee Dee Electric Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,396 | 14.77¢ | 29% |
| City of Monroe - (NC) | Municipal | Bundled | 10,543 | 12.28¢ | 23% |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 75 MW | 70% |
| Natural gas | 30 MW | 28% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe Solar Facility | Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC | Solar | 55 MW | 2017 |
| Monroe Generating Station | North Carolina Mun Power Agny #1 | Natural gas | 30 MW | 2010 |
| Old Pageland Monroe Road Solar Farm | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
| BG Stewart Solar Farm, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 5 MW | 2015 |
| Marshville Farm | Strata Manager, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2013 |
| Monroe Moore Farm | Heelstone Energy Holdings, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkwood BESS | Batteries | 12 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | North Carolina El Member Corp |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 78,177 | $65,474 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 990 | $74,657 | 1.76 |
| Data processing and hosting | 96 | $129,869 | 0.40 |
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 Union County
1 data center in Union County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Union County, Mecklenburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 267,674 | ▲ 20.0% | 107 MW | 12 MW | 1 | — |
| Anson County | 21,758 | ▼ 9.4% | 576 MW | — | — | — |
| Cabarrus County | 249,725 | ▲ 19.1% | 128 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Chesterfield County SC | 44,740 | ▼ 9.7% | 77 MW | 151 MW | — | 1 |
| Lancaster County SC | 114,296 | ▲ 12.0% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,233,383 | ▲ 10.7% | 2,456 MW | 2 MW | 26 | — |
| Stanly County | 68,830 | ▲ 22.6% | 282 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, North Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Union County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Union Electric Membership Corp - (NC), Pee Dee Electric Member Corp, City of Monroe - (NC). The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Indian Trail, NC in?
Indian Trail is in Union County, North Carolina. About 44,303 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Monroe, NC in?
Monroe is in Union County, North Carolina. About 42,644 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Waxhaw, NC in?
Waxhaw is in Union County, North Carolina. About 23,140 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Union County?
7 operating plants with 107 MW of capacity. The largest is Monroe Solar Facility (55 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Union County?
12 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 12 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is North Carolina El Member Corp.
Are there data centers in Union County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Union County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 78,177 jobs in 2025 against 65,161 in 2019 (+20.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Union County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.