Chittenden County, Vermont: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Burlington, South Burlington and Colchester
The data center boom is not abstract in Chittenden County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Chittenden County, 75% of Vermont's total. Chittenden County is home to Burlington, South Burlington, Colchester and Essex. 16 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Essex VT BESS 1 LLC (battery storage), the 4th largest pipeline among Vermont's counties. 16 MW of it is already under construction or built. 19 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 2.3% in August 2026, against 1.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Chittenden County
Chittenden County is home to Burlington, South Burlington, Colchester and Essex.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bolton, Bolton Valley, East Charlotte, Hanksville, Hinesburg, Huntington, Huntington Center, Milton, Richmond, Shelburne, St. George, Underhill Center, Underhill Flats, West Charlotte, Westford.
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 Chittenden County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Vermont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 168,412 | 169,115 | ▲ 0.4% | 1st of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 102,697 | 103,261 | ▲ 0.5% | 5th of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $56,494 | $76,599 | ▲ 35.6% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 676 | 578 | ▼ 14.5% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 232 | 224 | ▼ 3.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.6% | 2.3% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 19 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 16 MW | 8% of today's fleet | 4th of 4 by size |
Its power plants have 196 MW of capacity, 30% of it other technologies, the largest fleet in Vermont. Green Mountain Power Corp is the largest utility serving Chittenden County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 22.09¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 103,261 jobs in 2025, up 0.5% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 14 Vermont counties). Electrical contractors employ 578, at an average $73,473 a year. 169,115 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020, 1st of 14 Vermont counties by population.
Who powers Chittenden County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +19 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Chittenden County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Mountain Power Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 226,675 | 22.09¢ | 36% |
| Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,964 | 23.26¢ | 28% |
| City of Burlington Electric - (VT) | Municipal | Bundled | 17,861 | 18.88¢ | 52% |
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 24
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 60 MW | 30% |
| Petroleum | 52 MW | 26% |
| Hydro | 35 MW | 18% |
| Solar | 34 MW | 17% |
| Wind | 10 MW | 5% |
| Battery storage | 6 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J C McNeil | City of Burlington Electric - (VT) | Other technologies | 60 MW | 1984 |
| Burlington GT | City of Burlington Electric - (VT) | Petroleum | 26 MW | 1971 |
| Colchester 16 | Green Mountain Power Corp | Petroleum | 18 MW | 1965 |
| Essex Junction 19 | Green Mountain Power Corp | Hydro | 16 MW | 1917 |
| Georgia Mountain Community Wind Farm | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Wind | 10 MW | 2012 |
| Chace Mill Winooski One | City of Burlington Electric - (VT) | Hydro | 8 MW | 1993 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex VT BESS 1 | Batteries | 16 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Essex VT BESS 1 LLC |
The Chittenden County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 103,261 | $76,599 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 578 | $73,473 | 0.78 |
| Data processing and hosting | 224 | $97,909 | 0.70 |
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 Chittenden County
6 data centers in Chittenden County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Chittenden County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Chittenden County, Clinton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chittenden County | 169,115 | ▲ 0.5% | 196 MW | 16 MW | 6 | — |
| Addison County | 38,048 | ▲ 4.3% | 46 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Clinton County NY | 78,138 | ▼ 8.5% | 871 MW | 2 MW | 1 | — |
| Essex County NY | 36,438 | ▲ 4.0% | 78 MW | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 51,177 | ▼ 7.8% | 102 MW | — | — | — |
| Grand Isle County | 7,511 | ▲ 13.5% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Lamoille County | 26,294 | ▲ 4.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 59,652 | ▼ 1.2% | 66 MW | — | — | — |
More of Vermont
Chittenden County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Chittenden County, Vermont?
3 utilities have service territory in Chittenden County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Green Mountain Power Corp, Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc, City of Burlington Electric - (VT). The largest, Green Mountain Power Corp, charged residential customers 22.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Burlington, VT in?
Burlington is in Chittenden County, Vermont. About 44,019 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is South Burlington, VT in?
South Burlington is in Chittenden County, Vermont. About 21,394 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Colchester, VT in?
Colchester is in Chittenden County, Vermont. About 17,565 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Chittenden County?
24 operating plants with 196 MW of capacity. The largest is J C McNeil (60 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Chittenden County?
16 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 16 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Essex VT BESS 1 LLC.
Are there data centers in Chittenden County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Chittenden County.
Is Chittenden County adding jobs?
Employers counted 103,261 jobs in 2025 against 102,697 in 2019 (+0.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Chittenden County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chittenden County. Vermont has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.