Sumner County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hendersonville, Gallatin and Portland
The data center boom is not abstract in Sumner County: it is on the ground here. Electrical contractors employ 662, up 100.0% since 2019 against up 20.9% statewide, at an average $95,930 a year. Owners plan to retire 1,918 MW more by 2035, led by Gallatin (TN) in 2031. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Sumner County, 5% of Tennessee's total. Sumner County is home to Hendersonville, Gallatin, Portland and most of White House (9,032 of its 17,872 residents). Construction employs 4,443, up 26.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Sumner County
Sumner County is home to Hendersonville, Gallatin, Portland and most of White House (9,032 of its 17,872 residents).
- White House also extends into Robertson County.
- Goodlettsville also extends into Davidson County.
- Millersville also extends into Robertson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bethpage, Bransford, Castalian Springs, Cottontown, Fairfield, Graball, New Deal, Oak Grove, Shackle Island, Walnut Grove.
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 Sumner County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 197,416 | 215,538 | ▲ 9.2% | 8th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 55,801 | 62,901 | ▲ 12.7% | 16th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,112 | $61,571 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,518 | 4,443 | ▲ 26.3% | 29th of 55 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 331 | 662 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 105 | 102 | ▼ 2.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 95 | 210 | ▲ 121.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2,022 MW of capacity, 62% of it coal, the 5th largest fleet in Tennessee. Employers here counted 62,901 jobs in 2025, up 12.7% from 2019. 215,538 people live here, up 9.2% since 2020, 8th of 95 Tennessee counties by population. Nashville Electric Service is the largest utility serving Sumner County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.47¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019.
Who powers Sumner County
Utilities with service territory in Sumner County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville Electric Service | Municipal | Bundled | 417,640 | 13.47¢ | 50% |
| Cumberland Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 100,585 | 12.99¢ | 20% |
| Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,824 | 12.33¢ | 31% |
| City of Gallatin - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 23,204 | 11.78¢ | 40% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,255 MW | 62% |
| Natural gas | 663 MW | 33% |
| Hydro | 104 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallatin (TN) | Tennessee Valley Authority | Natural gas | 1,918 MW | 1956 |
| Old Hickory | USCE-Nashville District | Hydro | 104 MW | 1957 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallatin (TN) | Coal | 1,255 MW | 2031 |
| Gallatin (TN) | Natural gas | 663 MW | 2031 |
The Sumner County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 62,901 | $61,571 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,443 | $82,773 | 1.33 |
| Electrical contractors | 662 | $95,930 | 1.46 |
| Power and communication line construction | 102 | $85,816 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 210 | $206,361 | 1.07 |
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 Sumner County
4 data centers in Sumner County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Sumner County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Sumner County, Davidson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner County | 215,538 | ▲ 12.7% | 2,022 MW | — | 4 | — |
| Allen County KY | 22,536 | ▲ 12.2% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Davidson County | 745,904 | ▲ 8.2% | 53 MW | — | 24 | 1 |
| Macon County | 27,663 | ▲ 7.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Robertson County | 80,175 | ▲ 5.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Simpson County KY | 20,788 | ▲ 3.3% | 6 MW | 80 MW | 1 | — |
| Trousdale County | 12,623 | ▲ 38.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Wilson County | 175,033 | ▲ 34.8% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Sumner County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sumner County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Sumner County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Nashville Electric Service, Cumberland Elec Member Corp, Tri-County Elec Member Corp (TN), City of Gallatin - (TN). The largest, Nashville Electric Service, charged residential customers 13.47¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hendersonville, TN in?
Hendersonville is in Sumner County, Tennessee. About 64,266 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Gallatin, TN in?
Gallatin is in Sumner County, Tennessee. About 54,590 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Portland, TN in?
Portland is in Sumner County, Tennessee. About 13,614 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Sumner County?
2 operating plants with 2,022 MW of capacity. The largest is Gallatin (TN) (1,918 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Sumner County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Sumner County.
Is Sumner County adding jobs?
Employers counted 62,901 jobs in 2025 against 55,801 in 2019 (+12.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,518 to 4,443.
Does Sumner County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sumner County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.