Orange County, Vermont: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Randolph, Williamstown and Thetford
No data center or power plant project is on record in Orange County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Orange County is home to Randolph, Williamstown, Thetford and Bradford. Next door, Grafton County, New Hampshire, has 2 data centers. Construction employs 626, up 2.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 103, at an average $67,822 a year. Its power plants have 15 MW of capacity, 82% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Orange County
Orange County is home to Randolph, Williamstown, Thetford and Bradford.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bradford, Chelsea, Fairlee, Randolph, Williamstown.
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 Orange County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Vermont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 29,296 | 30,002 | ▲ 2.4% | 10th of 14 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,862 | 7,791 | ▼ 0.9% | 7th of 14 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,369 | $57,404 | ▲ 38.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 614 | 626 | ▲ 2.0% | 6th of 6 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 89 | 103 | ▲ 15.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7 | 8 | ▲ 14.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 2.4% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Green Mountain Power Corp is the largest utility serving Orange County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 22.09¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 7,791 jobs in 2025, down 0.9% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 14 Vermont counties). Unemployment was 2.4% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019. 30,002 people live here, up 2.4% since 2020, 10th of 14 Vermont counties by population.
Who powers Orange County
Utilities with service territory in Orange 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% |
| Washington Electric Coop - (VT) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 12 MW | 82% |
| Hydro | 3 MW | 18% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Mines Solar 1 | Elizabeth Mines Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| GMP Solar - Williamstown | Green Mountain Power Corp | Solar | 5 MW | 2016 |
| Williamstown Solar | CVI CleanCapital Solar 1 LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2012 |
| Smith (VT) | Green Mountain Power Corp | Hydro | 2 MW | 1982 |
| Boltonville Hydro Associates | Boltonville Hydro Associates | Hydro | 1 MW | 1984 |
The Orange County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,791 | $57,404 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 626 | $74,479 | 1.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 103 | $67,822 | 1.83 |
| Data processing and hosting | 8 | $120,858 | 0.33 |
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 Orange County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Orange County. Vermont has 3 local measures on record statewide.
Orange County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Orange 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 30,002 | ▼ 0.9% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Addison County | 38,048 | ▲ 4.3% | 46 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Caledonia County | 30,414 | ▲ 5.1% | 83 MW | — | — | — |
| Grafton County NH | 93,225 | ▲ 0.4% | 475 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Washington County | 59,652 | ▼ 1.2% | 66 MW | — | — | — |
| Windsor County | 57,312 | ▲ 0.2% | 89 MW | — | — | — |
More of Vermont
Orange County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Orange County, Vermont?
2 utilities have service territory in Orange County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Green Mountain Power Corp, Washington Electric Coop - (VT). The largest, Green Mountain Power Corp, charged residential customers 22.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Orange County?
5 operating plants with 15 MW of capacity. The largest is Elizabeth Mines Solar 1 (5 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Orange County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Orange County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Grafton County.
Is Orange County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,791 jobs in 2025 against 7,862 in 2019 (-0.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 614 to 626.
Does Orange County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Orange County. Vermont has 3 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.