Chester County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Henderson
No data center or power plant project is on record in Chester County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Chester County is home to Henderson. Employers here counted 3,876 jobs in 2025, up 5.1% from 2019. Southwest Tennessee E M C is the largest utility serving Chester County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 17,994 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Chester County
Chester County is home to Henderson.
- Milledgeville also extends into McNairy County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Jacks Creek.
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 Chester County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,379 | 17,994 | ▲ 3.5% | 72nd of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,687 | 3,876 | ▲ 5.1% | 46th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,274 | $46,972 | ▲ 29.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
Who powers Chester County
Utilities with service territory in Chester County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Tennessee E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 43,750 | 12.90¢ | 26% |
| Pickwick Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 16,609 | 12.67¢ | 32% |
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 Chester County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Chester County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,876 | $46,972 | 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 Chester County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Chester County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Chester County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Chester County, Hardin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County | 17,994 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hardeman County | 25,274 | ▼ 7.2% | 18 MW | 55 MW | — | — |
| Hardin County | 27,983 | ▲ 4.7% | 312 MW | — | — | — |
| Henderson County | 28,518 | ▲ 1.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 100,790 | ▲ 2.7% | 87 MW | 42 MW | — | — |
| McNairy County | 26,236 | ▲ 5.1% | 81 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Chester County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Chester County, Tennessee?
2 utilities have service territory in Chester County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Southwest Tennessee E M C, Pickwick Electric Coop. The largest, Southwest Tennessee E M C, charged residential customers 12.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Chester County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Chester County.
Is Chester County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,876 jobs in 2025 against 3,687 in 2019 (+5.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Chester County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chester County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.