Bradley County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cleveland
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Bradley County. Bradley County is home to Cleveland and Charleston. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Project River (1,500 MW). Employers here counted 40,033 jobs in 2025, down 8.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. City of Chattanooga - (TN) is the largest utility serving Bradley County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.32¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Bradley County
Bradley County is home to Cleveland and Charleston.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): East Cleveland, Hopewell, McDonald, South Cleveland, Wildwood Lake.
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 Bradley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 108,832 | 115,465 | ▲ 6.1% | 14th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 43,866 | 40,033 | ▼ 8.7% | 91st of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,634 | $57,020 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 220 | 117 | ▼ 46.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
115,465 people live here, up 6.1% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 117, down 46.8% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $57,898 a year.
Who powers Bradley County
Utilities with service territory in Bradley 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% |
| City of Cleveland - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 29,331 | 12.53¢ | 37% |
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 Bradley County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bradley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 40,033 | $57,020 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 117 | $57,898 | 0.41 |
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 Bradley County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project River | delayed | 1,500 MW |
Bradley County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Bradley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley County | 115,465 | ▼ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Catoosa County GA | 69,628 | ▲ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton County | 390,833 | ▲ 5.5% | 4,324 MW | — | 5 | 1 |
| McMinn County | 57,404 | ▼ 9.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Meigs County | 14,186 | ▼ 11.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Murray County GA | 41,607 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,702 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Polk County | 18,592 | ▲ 15.1% | 164 MW | — | — | — |
| Whitfield County GA | 106,212 | ▼ 0.2% | 1 MW | — | 4 | — |
More of Tennessee
Bradley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bradley County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Bradley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Chattanooga - (TN), Volunteer Electric Coop, City of Cleveland - (TN). The largest, City of Chattanooga - (TN), charged residential customers 12.32¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cleveland, TN in?
Cleveland is in Bradley County, Tennessee. About 51,172 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Bradley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bradley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Hamilton County.
Is Bradley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 40,033 jobs in 2025 against 43,866 in 2019 (-8.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bradley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bradley County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.