Arlington County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Arlington
Arlington County has more of its workforce in data processing and hosting than the country as a whole. Arlington County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Arlington, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Next door, Fairfax County has 45 data centers. Construction employs 2,202, up 13.1% since 2019. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 1.9% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 29, at an average $86,214 a year.
Cities and towns in Arlington County
Arlington County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Arlington, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arlington.
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 Arlington County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 238,825 | 243,931 | ▲ 2.1% | 8th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 182,197 | 180,735 | ▼ 0.8% | 81st of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $96,037 | $131,075 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,947 | 2,202 | ▲ 13.1% | 37th of 83 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 862 | 848 | ▼ 1.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.9% | 2.8% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Arlington County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. Employers here counted 180,735 jobs in 2025, down 0.8% from 2019. 243,931 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020, 8th of 133 Virginia counties by population.
Who powers Arlington County
Utilities with service territory in Arlington 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% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Arlington County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Arlington County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 180,735 | $131,075 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,202 | $126,722 | 0.23 |
| Electrical contractors | 29 | $86,214 | 0.02 |
| Data processing and hosting | 848 | $210,759 | 1.51 |
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 Arlington County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Arlington County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Fairfax County, Montgomery County.
Arlington County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Arlington County, Fairfax 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington County | 243,931 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Alexandria (city) | 160,662 | ▼ 11.4% | — | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia DC | 693,645 | ▼ 4.4% | 72 MW | 6 MW | 9 | — |
| Fairfax County | 1,167,873 | ▲ 2.0% | 133 MW | — | 45 | 1 |
| Falls Church (city) | 15,159 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County MD | 1,074,582 | ▼ 3.4% | 500 MW | — | 10 | 3 |
More of Virginia
Arlington County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Arlington County, Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Arlington County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Arlington County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Arlington County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Fairfax County.
Is Arlington County adding jobs?
Employers counted 180,735 jobs in 2025 against 182,197 in 2019 (-0.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,947 to 2,202.
Does Arlington County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Arlington County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.