Hawkins County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Church Hill, Mount Carmel and Rogersville
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Hawkins County. Construction employs 1,470, up 412.2% since 2019, and construction is 2.1 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Hawkins County is home to Church Hill, Mount Carmel, Rogersville and part of Kingsport (2,870 of its 57,530 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Resolution banning data centers and cryptocurrency mines”. Its power plants have 997 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 9th largest fleet in Tennessee. Employers here counted 13,291 jobs in 2025, up 6.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Hawkins County
Hawkins County is home to Church Hill, Mount Carmel, Rogersville and part of Kingsport (2,870 of its 57,530 residents).
- Kingsport also extends into Sullivan County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mooresburg.
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 Hawkins County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 56,715 | 59,559 | ▲ 5.0% | 27th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,541 | 13,291 | ▲ 6.0% | 42nd of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,627 | $59,605 | ▲ 39.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 287 | 1,470 | ▲ 412.2% | 2nd of 55 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 83, at an average $58,507 a year. Kingsport Power Co is the largest utility serving Hawkins County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.84¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 59,559 people live here, up 5.0% since 2020.
Who powers Hawkins County
Utilities with service territory in Hawkins County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 43,159 | 12.84¢ | 21% |
| Holston Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,773 | 13.05¢ | 19% |
| Powell Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,147 | 11.49¢ | 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 997 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Sevier | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 997 MW | 2012 |
The Hawkins County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,291 | $59,605 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,470 | $104,265 | 2.09 |
| Electrical contractors | 83 | $58,507 | 0.87 |
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 Hawkins County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution banning data centers and cryptocurrency mines | In force | 2026-07 |
Hawkins County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hawkins 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkins County | 59,559 | ▲ 6.0% | 997 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Grainger County | 25,739 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 73,831 | ▼ 0.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Hamblen County | 68,843 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hancock County | 7,075 | ▲ 14.6% | 22 MW | — | — | — |
| Scott County VA | 21,200 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Sullivan County | 163,759 | ▲ 3.1% | 448 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Washington County | 141,199 | ▲ 3.3% | 23 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Hawkins County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hawkins County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Hawkins County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kingsport Power Co, Holston Electric Coop, Inc, Powell Valley Electric Coop. The largest, Kingsport Power Co, charged residential customers 12.84¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hawkins County?
1 operating plant with 997 MW of capacity. The largest is John Sevier (997 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Hawkins County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hawkins County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sullivan County.
Is Hawkins County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,291 jobs in 2025 against 12,541 in 2019 (+6.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 287 to 1,470.
Does Hawkins County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Hawkins County, 1 in force.