Essex County, Vermont: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lunenburg, Brighton and Concord
No data center or power plant project is on record in Essex County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Essex County is home to Lunenburg, Brighton, Concord and Canaan. Next door, Grafton County, New Hampshire, has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 1,059 jobs in 2025, down 3.2% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 14 Vermont counties). Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 74% of it hydro. Green Mountain Power Corp is the largest utility serving Essex County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 22.09¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Essex County
Essex County is home to Lunenburg, Brighton, Concord and Canaan.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beecher Falls, Canaan, Concord, Gilman, Island Pond, Lunenburg.
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 Essex County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Vermont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,921 | 6,051 | ▲ 2.2% | 14th of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,094 | 1,059 | ▼ 3.2% | 10th of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,322 | $52,118 | ▲ 36.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 6,051 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Essex County
Utilities with service territory in Essex 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% |
| The Town of Lyndon Electric Department | — | — | — | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 6 MW | 74% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 26% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilman Mill | Ampersand Gilman Hydro LP | Hydro | 5 MW | 1941 |
| GSPP Gilman, LLC | Green Street Power Partners | Solar | 2 MW | 2018 |
| Canaan | Central Rivers Power NH, LLC | Hydro | 1 MW | 1927 |
The Essex County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,059 | $52,118 | 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 Essex County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Essex County. Vermont has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Essex County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Essex County, Grafton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County | 6,051 | ▼ 3.2% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Caledonia County | 30,414 | ▲ 5.1% | 83 MW | — | — | — |
| Coos County NH | 31,343 | ▼ 2.7% | 301 MW | — | — | — |
| Grafton County NH | 93,225 | ▲ 0.4% | 475 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Orleans County | 27,600 | ▼ 5.1% | 82 MW | — | — | — |
More of Vermont
Essex County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Essex County, Vermont?
3 utilities have service territory in Essex County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Green Mountain Power Corp, Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc, The Town of Lyndon Electric Department. The largest, Green Mountain Power Corp, charged residential customers 22.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Essex County?
3 operating plants with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is Gilman Mill (5 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Essex County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Essex County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Grafton County.
Is Essex County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,059 jobs in 2025 against 1,094 in 2019 (-3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Essex County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Essex County. Vermont has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.