Grundy County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gruetli-Laager, Tracy City and Altamont
Grundy County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Grundy County is home to Gruetli-Laager, Tracy City, Altamont and most of Monteagle (851 of its 1,439 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through May 18, 2028”. Employers here counted 2,120 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Duck River Elec Member Corp is the largest utility serving Grundy County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.50¢/kWh in 2024. 14,116 people live here, up 4.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Grundy County
Grundy County is home to Gruetli-Laager, Tracy City, Altamont and most of Monteagle (851 of its 1,439 residents).
- Monteagle also extends into Marion County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pelham.
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 Grundy County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 13,541 | 14,116 | ▲ 4.2% | 82nd of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,068 | 2,120 | ▲ 2.5% | 61st of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $29,562 | $39,036 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Who powers Grundy County
Utilities with service territory in Grundy County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck River Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 71,342 | 12.50¢ | 27% |
| Sequachee Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 33,206 | 12.97¢ | 32% |
| Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,631 | 12.89¢ | 22% |
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 Grundy County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Grundy County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,120 | $39,036 | 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 Grundy County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through May 18, 2028 | In force | 2026-01 |
Grundy County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Grundy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grundy County | 14,116 | ▲ 2.5% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Coffee County | 62,419 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Franklin County | 45,579 | ▼ 2.1% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 29,804 | ▲ 11.1% | 104 MW | — | — | — |
| Sequatchie County | 17,861 | ▲ 16.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 43,717 | ▲ 1.7% | 58 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Grundy County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grundy County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Grundy County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duck River Elec Member Corp, Sequachee Valley Electric Coop, Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Duck River Elec Member Corp, charged residential customers 12.50¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Grundy County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grundy County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is Grundy County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,120 jobs in 2025 against 2,068 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Grundy County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Grundy County, 1 in force.