Bledsoe County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pikeville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bledsoe County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bledsoe County is home to Pikeville. Employers here counted 2,520 jobs in 2025, up 17.0% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 95 Tennessee counties). Next door, Hamilton County has 5 data centers. City of Chattanooga - (TN) is the largest utility serving Bledsoe County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.32¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bledsoe County
Bledsoe County is home to Pikeville.
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 Bledsoe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,945 | 15,920 | ▲ 6.5% | 78th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,154 | 2,520 | ▲ 17.0% | 8th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,062 | $53,817 | ▲ 49.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.1% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
15,920 people live here, up 6.5% since 2020.
Who powers Bledsoe County
Utilities with service territory in Bledsoe County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Chattanooga - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 164,417 | 12.32¢ | 38% |
| Volunteer Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 104,387 | 12.19¢ | 24% |
| Sequachee Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 33,206 | 12.97¢ | 32% |
| City of Dayton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 9,053 | 11.98¢ | 30% |
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 Bledsoe County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bledsoe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,520 | $53,817 | 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 Bledsoe County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bledsoe County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Hamilton County, White County.
Bledsoe County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bledsoe County, Hamilton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bledsoe County | 15,920 | ▲ 17.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 66,300 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 110 MW | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 390,833 | ▲ 5.5% | 4,324 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| Rhea County | 34,844 | ▲ 14.6% | 2,714 MW | — | — | — |
| Sequatchie County | 17,861 | ▲ 16.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Van Buren County | 6,874 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| White County | 29,612 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Bledsoe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bledsoe County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Bledsoe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Chattanooga - (TN), Volunteer Electric Coop, Sequachee Valley Electric Coop, City of Dayton - (TN). The largest, City of Chattanooga - (TN), charged residential customers 12.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Bledsoe County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bledsoe County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hamilton County.
Is Bledsoe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,520 jobs in 2025 against 2,154 in 2019 (+17.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bledsoe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bledsoe County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.