Sevier County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sevier County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 107, up 91.1% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $67,153 a year. Construction employs 2,785, up 43.5% since 2019. Sevier County is home to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Next door, Knox County has 4 data centers. Employers here counted 53,214 jobs in 2025, up 8.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Sevier County
Sevier County is home to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fairgarden, Seymour.
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 Sevier County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 98,848 | 101,342 | ▲ 2.5% | 15th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 49,157 | 53,214 | ▲ 8.3% | 33rd of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,285 | $45,151 | ▲ 39.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,941 | 2,785 | ▲ 43.5% | 16th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 56 | 107 | ▲ 91.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 151 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Knoxville Utilities Board is the largest utility serving Sevier County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.54¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. 101,342 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Sevier County
Utilities with service territory in Sevier County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville Utilities Board | Municipal | Bundled | 193,707 | 12.54¢ | 40% |
| Appalachian Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 43,709 | 12.93¢ | 26% |
| Sevier County Electric System | Municipal | Bundled | 35,626 | 11.33¢ | 68% |
| City of Newport - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 19,859 | 13.83¢ | 24% |
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 | 151 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Dam | Tennessee Valley Authority | Hydro | 151 MW | 1943 |
The Sevier County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 53,214 | $45,151 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,785 | $64,366 | 0.99 |
| Electrical contractors | 107 | $67,153 | 0.28 |
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 Sevier County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sevier County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Knox County, Swain County.
Sevier County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sevier County, Knox 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevier County | 101,342 | ▲ 8.3% | 151 MW | — | — | — |
| Blount County | 143,820 | ▲ 11.3% | 217 MW | — | — | — |
| Cocke County | 37,889 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Haywood County NC | 63,369 | ▼ 2.1% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 60,024 | ▲ 3.9% | 137 MW | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 511,453 | ▲ 9.2% | 5 MW | — | 4 | 1 |
| Swain County NC | 14,024 | ▼ 32.9% | 255 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Sevier County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sevier County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Sevier County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Knoxville Utilities Board, Appalachian Electric Coop, Sevier County Electric System, City of Newport - (TN). The largest, Knoxville Utilities Board, charged residential customers 12.54¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sevierville, TN in?
Sevierville is in Sevier County, Tennessee. About 19,010 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Sevier County?
1 operating plant with 151 MW of capacity. The largest is Douglas Dam (151 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Sevier County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sevier County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Knox County.
Is Sevier County adding jobs?
Employers counted 53,214 jobs in 2025 against 49,157 in 2019 (+8.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,941 to 2,785.
Does Sevier County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sevier County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.