Carter County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elizabethton and Johnson City
Carter County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Carter County is home to Elizabethton and part of Johnson City (1,374 of its 74,943 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers through August 17, 2027”. Employers here counted 12,639 jobs in 2025, up 11.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 68 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Johnson City - (TN) is the largest utility serving Carter County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.41¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Carter County
Carter County is home to Elizabethton and part of Johnson City (1,374 of its 74,943 residents).
- Johnson City also extends into Washington County, Sullivan County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Biltmore, Butler, Central, Hampton, Hunter, Pine Crest, Roan Mountain, Valley Forge.
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 Carter County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 56,391 | 57,361 | ▲ 1.7% | 31st of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,357 | 12,639 | ▲ 11.3% | 21st of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,269 | $52,412 | ▲ 44.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. 57,361 people live here, up 1.7% since 2020.
Who powers Carter County
Utilities with service territory in Carter County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 72,205 | 12.41¢ | 37% |
| City of Elizabethton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 23,344 | 11.82¢ | 32% |
| Mountain Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,539 | 12.34¢ | 23% |
| Town of Erwin - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 7,618 | 12.23¢ | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 68 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 58 MW | 1949 |
| Wilbur | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 11 MW | 1912 |
The Carter County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,639 | $52,412 | 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 Carter County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers through August 17, 2027 | In force | 2026-08 |
Carter County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Carter County, Sullivan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 57,361 | ▲ 11.3% | 68 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Avery County NC | 18,110 | ▲ 16.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 18,718 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Mitchell County NC | 15,062 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Sullivan County | 163,759 | ▲ 3.1% | 448 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Unicoi County | 17,856 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 141,199 | ▲ 3.3% | 23 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Carter County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Carter County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Carter County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Johnson City - (TN), City of Elizabethton - (TN), Mountain Electric Coop, Inc, Town of Erwin - (TN). The largest, Johnson City - (TN), charged residential customers 12.41¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Elizabethton, TN in?
Elizabethton is in Carter County, Tennessee. About 14,350 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Carter County?
2 operating plants with 68 MW of capacity. The largest is Watauga (58 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Carter County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Carter County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sullivan County.
Is Carter County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,639 jobs in 2025 against 11,357 in 2019 (+11.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Carter County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Carter County, 1 in force.