Washington County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Plymouth
Washington County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Washington County is home to Plymouth. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019. 130 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 150 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Employers here counted 3,065 jobs in 2025, down 3.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Washington County
Washington County is home to Plymouth.
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 Washington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,976 | 10,638 | ▼ 3.1% | 95th of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,160 | 3,065 | ▼ 3.0% | 75th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,357 | $52,248 | ▲ 23.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 4.8% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 130 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Washington County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.93¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.11¢ median for North Carolina utilities. 10,638 people live here, down 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Washington County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +130 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washington County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 108,656 | 13.93¢ | 24% |
| 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 150 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle Beach Solar | Albemarle Beach Solar, LLC | Solar | 130 MW | 2020 |
| Creswell Alligood Solar, LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 14 MW | 2015 |
| Plymouth Solar LLC | SunEnergy1 | Solar | 5 MW | 2012 |
The Washington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,065 | $52,248 | 1.00 |
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 Washington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Washington County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Beaufort County.
Washington County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Washington County, Martin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County | 10,638 | ▼ 3.0% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaufort County | 44,670 | ▲ 4.9% | 196 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Bertie County | 17,086 | ▼ 6.2% | 45 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Hyde County | 4,554 | ▼ 6.2% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Martin County | 21,601 | ▼ 4.5% | 216 MW | — | — | — |
| Tyrrell County | 3,537 | ▼ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Carolina
Washington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washington County, North Carolina?
2 utilities have service territory in Washington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Tideland Electric Member Corp. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 13.93¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Washington County?
3 operating plants with 150 MW of capacity. The largest is Albemarle Beach Solar (130 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Washington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Washington County.
Is Washington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,065 jobs in 2025 against 3,160 in 2019 (-3.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Washington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washington County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.