Wilkes County, North Carolina: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wilkes County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wilkes County is home to North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro. Next door, Caldwell County has 4 data centers. Employers here counted 18,897 jobs in 2025, down 10.8% from 2019. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC is the largest utility serving Wilkes 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. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Wilkes County
Wilkes County is home to North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro.
- Elkin also extends into Surry County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cricket, Fairplains, Hays, Millers Creek, Moravian Falls, Mulberry, Pleasant Hill.
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 Wilkes County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Carolina |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,871 | 66,233 | ▲ 0.5% | 43rd of 100 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21,187 | 18,897 | ▼ 10.8% | 98th of 100 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,000 | $51,964 | ▲ 36.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.7% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
66,233 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Wilkes County
Utilities with service territory in Wilkes 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% |
| EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 121,995 | 11.54¢ | 23% |
| Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC) | Cooperative | Bundled | 71,926 | 14.59¢ | 24% |
| Surry-Yadkin Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 28,080 | 16.06¢ | 6% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Wilkes County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wilkes County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,897 | $51,964 | 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 Wilkes County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wilkes County. North Carolina has 62 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Surry County, Watauga County, Yadkin County.
Wilkes County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Wilkes County, Caldwell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County | 66,233 | ▼ 10.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Alexander County | 36,958 | ▼ 7.3% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| Alleghany County | 11,479 | ▲ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Ashe County | 27,514 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 81,105 | ▲ 0.2% | 40 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Iredell County | 211,798 | ▲ 7.1% | 43 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Surry County | 72,287 | ▼ 0.8% | 92 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Watauga County | 54,786 | ▲ 1.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Yadkin County | 38,325 | ▼ 0.7% | 103 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of North Carolina
Wilkes County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
4 utilities have service territory in Wilkes County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, EnergyUnited Elec Member Corp, Blue Ridge Elec Member Corp - (NC), Surry-Yadkin Elec Member Corp. The largest, Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, charged residential customers 13.94¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Wilkes County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wilkes County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Caldwell County.
Is Wilkes County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,897 jobs in 2025 against 21,187 in 2019 (-10.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wilkes County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wilkes County. North Carolina has 62 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.