Grand Isle County, Vermont: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grand Isle and South Hero
No data center or power plant project is on record in Grand Isle County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Grand Isle County is home to Grand Isle, South Hero, North Hero and Alburgh. Next door, Chittenden County has 6 data centers. Employers here counted 1,408 jobs in 2025, up 13.5% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 14 Vermont counties). Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc is the largest utility serving Grand Isle County. Its residential customers paid an average 23.26¢/kWh in 2024, above the 22.09¢ median for Vermont utilities.
Cities and towns in Grand Isle County
Grand Isle County is home to Grand Isle, South Hero, North Hero and Alburgh.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): South Hero.
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 Grand Isle County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Vermont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,277 | 7,511 | ▲ 3.2% | 13th of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,241 | 1,408 | ▲ 13.5% | 1st of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,671 | $51,547 | ▲ 40.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 7,511 people live here, up 3.2% since 2020.
Who powers Grand Isle County
Utilities with service territory in Grand Isle County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,964 | 23.26¢ | 28% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VEC Alburgh Array | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2016 |
The Grand Isle County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,408 | $51,547 | 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 Grand Isle County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Grand Isle County. Vermont has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Grand Isle County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Grand Isle County, Chittenden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Isle County | 7,511 | ▲ 13.5% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Chittenden County | 169,115 | ▲ 0.5% | 196 MW | 16 MW | 6 | — |
| Clinton County NY | 78,138 | ▼ 8.5% | 871 MW | 2 MW | 1 | — |
| Franklin County | 51,177 | ▼ 7.8% | 102 MW | — | — | — |
More of Vermont
Grand Isle County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Grand Isle County, Vermont?
1 utility has service territory in Grand Isle County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc. The largest, Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc, charged residential customers 23.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Grand Isle County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is VEC Alburgh Array (1 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Grand Isle County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Grand Isle County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Chittenden County.
Is Grand Isle County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,408 jobs in 2025 against 1,241 in 2019 (+13.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Grand Isle County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Grand Isle County. Vermont has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.