Bland County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bastian and Bland
Bland 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. Bland County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Bastian, Bland, Mechanicsburg, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Next door, Giles County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 2,099 jobs in 2025, up 7.0% from 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Bland County. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bland County
Bland County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Bastian, Bland, Mechanicsburg, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bastian, Bland, Mechanicsburg, Rocky Gap.
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 Bland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,255 | 6,151 | ▼ 1.7% | 127th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,961 | 2,099 | ▲ 7.0% | 31st of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,602 | $62,160 | ▲ 39.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
6,151 people live here, down 1.7% since 2020.
Who powers Bland County
Utilities with service territory in Bland County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 465,283 | 17.02¢ | 26% |
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 Bland County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,099 | $62,160 | 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 Bland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bland County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Bland County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bland County, Pulaski 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bland County | 6,151 | ▲ 7.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Giles County | 16,564 | ▲ 16.1% | 27 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Mercer County WV | 57,503 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 33,586 | ▼ 6.3% | 81 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Smyth County | 28,882 | ▼ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Tazewell County | 38,635 | ▼ 7.4% | — | 13 MW | — | — |
| Wythe County | 27,983 | ▲ 2.6% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Bland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bland County, Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Bland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Bland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bland County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Giles County.
Is Bland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,099 jobs in 2025 against 1,961 in 2019 (+7.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bland County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.