DeKalb County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Smithville
No data center or power plant project is on record in DeKalb County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 174, up 102.3% since 2019. DeKalb County is home to Smithville and Alexandria. Next door, Warren County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 5,204 jobs in 2025, down 8.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 156 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in DeKalb County
DeKalb County is home to Smithville and Alexandria.
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 DeKalb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,186 | 21,873 | ▲ 8.4% | 65th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,667 | 5,204 | ▼ 8.2% | 90th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,077 | $50,736 | ▲ 29.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 86 | 174 | ▲ 102.3% | 4th of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 20, at an average $46,416 a year. 21,873 people live here, up 8.4% since 2020. Middle Tennessee E M C is the largest utility serving DeKalb County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers DeKalb County
Utilities with service territory in DeKalb County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 307,370 | 11.76¢ | 37% |
| Upper Cumberland E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 45,560 | 12.77¢ | 26% |
| Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,631 | 12.89¢ | 22% |
| City of Smithville - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,408 | 12.11¢ | 39% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 156 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Hill | USCE-Nashville District | Hydro | 156 MW | 1950 |
The DeKalb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,204 | $50,736 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 174 | $55,884 | 0.63 |
| Electrical contractors | 20 | $46,416 | 0.53 |
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 DeKalb County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in DeKalb County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Warren County, White County, Wilson County.
DeKalb County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border DeKalb County, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | 21,873 | ▼ 8.2% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Cannon County | 15,296 | ▲ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 86,612 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 20,981 | ▼ 2.6% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 43,717 | ▲ 1.7% | 58 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| White County | 29,612 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Wilson County | 175,033 | ▲ 34.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
DeKalb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in DeKalb County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in DeKalb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Middle Tennessee E M C, Upper Cumberland E M C, Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc, City of Smithville - (TN). The largest, Middle Tennessee E M C, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in DeKalb County?
1 operating plant with 156 MW of capacity. The largest is Center Hill (156 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in DeKalb County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in DeKalb County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is DeKalb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,204 jobs in 2025 against 5,667 in 2019 (-8.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 86 to 174.
Does DeKalb County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for DeKalb County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.