Morgan County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Coalfield and Petros
Morgan County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Morgan County is home to Wartburg and Sunbright. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through June 12, 2028”. Employers here counted 3,158 jobs in 2025, up 3.9% from 2019. City of Clinton - (TN) is the largest utility serving Morgan County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.99¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. 22,160 people live here, up 5.3% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Morgan County
Morgan County is home to Wartburg and Sunbright.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Coalfield, Petros.
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 Morgan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,051 | 22,160 | ▲ 5.3% | 64th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,038 | 3,158 | ▲ 3.9% | 53rd of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,690 | $51,276 | ▲ 36.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Who powers Morgan County
Utilities with service territory in Morgan County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Clinton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 26,230 | 12.99¢ | 23% |
| Plateau Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,331 | 13.21¢ | 30% |
| City of Harriman - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 9,335 | 13.44¢ | 25% |
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 Morgan County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Morgan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,158 | $51,276 | 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 Morgan County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through June 12, 2028 | In force | 2026-01 |
Morgan County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Morgan County, Roane 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | 22,160 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Anderson County | 82,066 | ▲ 17.0% | 136 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Cumberland County | 66,300 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 110 MW | — | — |
| Fentress County | 20,322 | ▲ 16.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Roane County | 57,395 | ▲ 4.0% | 1,700 MW | 1,831 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Scott County | 22,671 | ▼ 0.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Morgan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Morgan County, Tennessee?
3 utilities have service territory in Morgan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Clinton - (TN), Plateau Electric Cooperative, City of Harriman - (TN). The largest, City of Clinton - (TN), charged residential customers 12.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Morgan County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Morgan County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Roane County.
Is Morgan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,158 jobs in 2025 against 3,038 in 2019 (+3.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Morgan County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Morgan County, 1 in force.