Jackson County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dodson Branch
Jackson County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Jackson County is home to Gainesboro. Employers here counted 1,691 jobs in 2025, up 21.6% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 95 Tennessee counties). Electrical contractors employ 39, at an average $52,877 a year. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Upper Cumberland E M C is the largest utility serving Jackson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.77¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Gainesboro.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dodson Branch.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,637 | 12,466 | ▲ 7.1% | 86th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,391 | 1,691 | ▲ 21.6% | 4th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,383 | $48,103 | ▲ 44.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
12,466 people live here, up 7.1% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson County
Utilities with service territory in Jackson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Cumberland E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 45,560 | 12.77¢ | 26% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,824 | 12.33¢ | 31% |
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 Jackson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,691 | $48,103 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 39 | $52,877 | 3.20 |
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 Jackson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jackson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jackson County, Smith 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 12,466 | ▲ 21.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 7,821 | ▼ 1.4% | 54 MW | — | — | — |
| Macon County | 27,663 | ▲ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Overton County | 23,787 | ▲ 13.5% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Putnam County | 86,612 | ▲ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Smith County | 20,981 | ▼ 2.6% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Tennessee?
2 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Upper Cumberland E M C, Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN). The largest, Upper Cumberland E M C, charged residential customers 12.77¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jackson County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,691 jobs in 2025 against 1,391 in 2019 (+21.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.