Albemarle County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Afton and Crozet
Albemarle County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Albemarle County is home to most of Scottsville (509 of its 549 residents). Next door, Louisa County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 65,494 jobs in 2025, up 12.5% from 2019. 13 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 2,283, up 0.9% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Albemarle County
Albemarle County is home to most of Scottsville (509 of its 549 residents).
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Afton, Crozet, Earlysville, Esmont, Free Union, Hollymead, Ivy, Keswick, North Garden, Pantops, Piney Mountain, Rio, Rivanna, University of Virginia.
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 Albemarle County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 112,578 | 118,356 | ▲ 5.1% | 16th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 58,217 | 65,494 | ▲ 12.5% | 17th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $55,177 | $74,902 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,262 | 2,283 | ▲ 0.9% | 60th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 13 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 13 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 264, at an average $68,978 a year. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Albemarle County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 118,356 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Albemarle County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +13 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Albemarle County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Electric & Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,383,548 | 14.09¢ | 63% |
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 465,283 | 17.02¢ | 26% |
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 169,489 | 14.89¢ | 11% |
| Central Virginia Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,893 | 16.14¢ | 16% |
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 | 13 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivanna Solar | Rivanna Solar LLC | Solar | 13 MW | 2024 |
The Albemarle County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 65,494 | $74,902 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,283 | $74,027 | 0.66 |
| Electrical contractors | 264 | $68,978 | 0.56 |
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 Albemarle County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Albemarle County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Fluvanna County.
Albemarle County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Albemarle County, Louisa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albemarle County | 118,356 | ▲ 12.5% | 13 MW | — | — | — |
| Augusta County | 78,940 | ▲ 9.6% | 8 MW | 11 MW | — | — |
| Buckingham County | 17,137 | ▼ 6.4% | 599 MW | 224 MW | 1 | — |
| Charlottesville (city) | 44,388 | ▼ 10.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Fluvanna County | 28,975 | ▲ 10.5% | 1,021 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Greene County | 21,958 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Louisa County | 42,924 | ▲ 7.0% | 2,945 MW | 193 MW | 2 | — |
| Nelson County | 14,920 | ▼ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Orange County | 40,083 | ▼ 5.8% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Rockingham County | 89,316 | ▲ 3.2% | 243 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
More of Virginia
Albemarle County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Albemarle County, Virginia?
4 utilities have service territory in Albemarle County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Appalachian Power Co, Rappahannock Electric Coop, Central Virginia Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Albemarle County?
1 operating plant with 13 MW of capacity. The largest is Rivanna Solar (13 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Albemarle County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Albemarle County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Louisa County.
Is Albemarle County adding jobs?
Employers counted 65,494 jobs in 2025 against 58,217 in 2019 (+12.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,262 to 2,283.
Does Albemarle County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Albemarle County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.