Cocke County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Newport
No data center or power plant project is on record in Cocke County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Cocke County is home to Newport. Construction employs 264, up 36.1% since 2019. Employers here counted 7,408 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019. City of Newport - (TN) is the largest utility serving Cocke County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.83¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. 37,889 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Cocke County
Cocke County is home to Newport.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cosby.
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 Cocke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 36,043 | 37,889 | ▲ 5.1% | 42nd of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,646 | 7,408 | ▼ 3.1% | 80th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,841 | $48,737 | ▲ 32.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 194 | 264 | ▲ 36.1% | 22nd of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Who powers Cocke County
Utilities with service territory in Cocke County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Newport - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 19,859 | 13.83¢ | 24% |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 994 | 14.91¢ | 8% |
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 Cocke County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Cocke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,408 | $48,737 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 264 | $57,295 | 0.67 |
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 Cocke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cocke County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Hamblen County, Madison County.
Cocke County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Cocke County, Sevier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocke County | 37,889 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 73,831 | ▼ 0.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamblen County | 68,843 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Haywood County NC | 63,369 | ▼ 2.1% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 60,024 | ▲ 3.9% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County NC | 22,553 | ▲ 8.7% | 12 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sevier County | 101,342 | ▲ 8.3% | 151 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Cocke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cocke County, Tennessee?
2 utilities have service territory in Cocke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Newport - (TN), French Broad Elec Member Corp. The largest, City of Newport - (TN), charged residential customers 13.83¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Cocke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cocke County.
Is Cocke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,408 jobs in 2025 against 7,646 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 194 to 264.
Does Cocke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cocke County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.