Van Buren County, Tennessee: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Spencer
No data center or power plant project is on record in Van Buren County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Van Buren County is home to Spencer. Next door, Warren County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 868 jobs in 2025, up 9.7% from 2019. 6,874 people live here, up 11.3% since 2020. Sequachee Valley Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Van Buren County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.97¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.22¢ median for Tennessee utilities.
Cities and towns in Van Buren County
Van Buren County is home to Spencer.
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 Van Buren County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,174 | 6,874 | ▲ 11.3% | 93rd of 95 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 791 | 868 | ▲ 9.7% | 25th of 95 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,074 | $42,010 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.4% | ● 0.0pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Who powers Van Buren County
Utilities with service territory in Van Buren County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sequachee Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 33,206 | 12.97¢ | 32% |
| Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,631 | 12.89¢ | 22% |
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 Van Buren County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Van Buren County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 868 | $42,010 | 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 Van Buren County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Van Buren County. Tennessee has 38 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Warren County, White County.
Van Buren County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Van Buren County, Cumberland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County | 6,874 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bledsoe County | 15,920 | ▲ 17.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Cumberland County | 66,300 | ▲ 8.6% | — | 110 MW | — | — |
| Sequatchie County | 17,861 | ▲ 16.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 43,717 | ▲ 1.7% | 58 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| White County | 29,612 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
More of Tennessee
Van Buren County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Van Buren County, Tennessee?
2 utilities have service territory in Van Buren County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Sequachee Valley Electric Coop, Caney Fork Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Sequachee Valley Electric Coop, charged residential customers 12.97¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Van Buren County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Van Buren County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is Van Buren County adding jobs?
Employers counted 868 jobs in 2025 against 791 in 2019 (+9.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Van Buren County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Van Buren County. Tennessee has 38 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.