Unicoi County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Erwin and Unicoi
Unicoi 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. Unicoi County is home to Erwin and Unicoi. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. City of Elizabethton - (TN) is the largest utility serving Unicoi County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.82¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities. Employers here counted 4,843 jobs in 2025, down 0.2% from 2019. 17,856 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Unicoi County
Unicoi County is home to Erwin and Unicoi.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Banner Hill.
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 Unicoi County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,873 | 17,856 | ▼ 0.1% | 74th of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,852 | 4,843 | ▼ 0.2% | 68th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,047 | $60,700 | ▲ 34.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Who powers Unicoi County
Utilities with service territory in Unicoi County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Elizabethton - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 23,344 | 11.82¢ | 32% |
| Mountain Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,539 | 12.34¢ | 23% |
| Town of Erwin - (TN) | Municipal | Bundled | 7,618 | 12.23¢ | 28% |
| French Broad Elec Member Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 994 | 14.91¢ | 8% |
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 Unicoi County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Unicoi County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,843 | $60,700 | 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 Unicoi County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Unicoi County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Carter County, Madison County, Washington County.
Unicoi County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Unicoi County, Carter 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unicoi County | 17,856 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Carter County | 57,361 | ▲ 11.3% | 68 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Greene County | 73,831 | ▼ 0.7% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County NC | 22,553 | ▲ 8.7% | 12 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mitchell County NC | 15,062 | ▼ 1.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 141,199 | ▲ 3.3% | 23 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Yancey County NC | 19,084 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Tennessee
Unicoi County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Unicoi County, Tennessee?
4 utilities have service territory in Unicoi County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Elizabethton - (TN), Mountain Electric Coop, Inc, Town of Erwin - (TN), French Broad Elec Member Corp. The largest, City of Elizabethton - (TN), charged residential customers 11.82¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Unicoi County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Unicoi County.
Is Unicoi County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,843 jobs in 2025 against 4,852 in 2019 (-0.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Unicoi County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Unicoi County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.