Benton County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Camden
No data center or power plant project is on record in Benton County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Benton County is home to Camden. Next door, Stewart County has 1,556 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 4,440 jobs in 2025, up 8.4% from 2019. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 62% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Benton County
Benton County is home to Camden.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Eva, Holladay.
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 Benton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,847 | 16,183 | ▲ 2.1% | 77th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,096 | 4,440 | ▲ 8.4% | 32nd of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,250 | $48,265 | ▲ 36.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Benton County is the largest utility serving Benton County. Its residential customers paid an average 13.88¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. 16,183 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Benton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Benton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | Municipal | Bundled | 8,775 | 13.88¢ | 28% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 5 MW | 62% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 38% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Camden | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 5 MW | 2012 |
| SR Benton | SR Benton, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2026 |
The Benton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,440 | $48,265 | 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 Benton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Benton County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Benton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Benton County, Stewart 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 16,183 | ▲ 8.4% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 29,200 | ▲ 12.5% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Decatur County | 11,820 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Henry County | 32,896 | ▲ 3.3% | 7 MW | 50 MW | 1 | — |
| Houston County | 8,479 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Humphreys County | 19,646 | ▼ 3.2% | 1,676 MW | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 9,126 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Stewart County | 14,439 | ▼ 0.5% | 2,600 MW | 1,556 MW | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Benton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Benton County, Tennessee?
1 utility has service territory in Benton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Benton County. The largest, Benton County, charged residential customers 13.88¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Benton County?
2 operating plants with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is West Camden (5 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Benton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Benton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Stewart County.
Is Benton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,440 jobs in 2025 against 4,096 in 2019 (+8.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Benton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Benton County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.