Chesapeake (city), Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
The build-out shows up in Chesapeake (city) as work for the electrical trades. Chesapeake (city) is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county. Construction employs 10,024, up 14.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 1,950, up 31.8% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $76,152 a year. Next door, Virginia Beach (city) has 4 data centers. 16 MW has retired here since 2019, including Chesapeake (petroleum, 16 MW, 2019).
Cities and towns in Chesapeake (city)
Chesapeake (city) is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county.
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 Chesapeake (city)
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 249,655 | 255,332 | ▲ 2.3% | 7th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 102,535 | 107,476 | ▲ 4.8% | 42nd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,138 | $60,385 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,783 | 10,024 | ▲ 14.1% | 34th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,479 | 1,950 | ▲ 31.8% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 245 | 399 | ▲ 62.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 266 | 532 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — |
Employers here counted 107,476 jobs in 2025, up 4.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 51 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. 255,332 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020, 7th of 133 Virginia counties by population.
Who powers Chesapeake (city)
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −16 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 51 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Petroleum | 51 MW | 1967 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | Petroleum | 16 MW | 2019 |
The Chesapeake (city) labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 107,476 | $60,385 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 10,024 | $78,575 | 1.76 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,950 | $76,152 | 2.52 |
| Power and communication line construction | 399 | $82,324 | 2.30 |
| Data processing and hosting | 532 | $60,627 | 1.59 |
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 Chesapeake (city)
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Chesapeake (city). Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Chesapeake (city) and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Chesapeake (city), Virginia Beach (city) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake (city) | 255,332 | ▲ 4.8% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
| Camden County NC | 11,315 | ▼ 2.0% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
| Currituck County NC | 33,158 | ▲ 0.5% | 262 MW | — | — | — |
| Norfolk (city) | 231,013 | ▲ 2.4% | — | — | 3 | — |
| Portsmouth (city) | 96,777 | ▼ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Suffolk (city) | 104,699 | ▲ 36.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Virginia Beach (city) | 453,737 | ▲ 0.5% | 12 MW | — | 4 | — |
More of Virginia
Chesapeake (city), answered from the record
What power plants are in Chesapeake (city)?
1 operating plant with 51 MW of capacity. The largest is Chesapeake (51 MW, petroleum).
What county is Chesapeake, VA in?
Chesapeake is in Chesapeake (city), Virginia. About 255,332 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Are there data centers in Chesapeake (city)?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Chesapeake (city). The nearest activity on record is next door in Virginia Beach (city).
Is Chesapeake (city) adding jobs?
Employers counted 107,476 jobs in 2025 against 102,535 in 2019 (+4.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 8,783 to 10,024.
Does Chesapeake (city) have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chesapeake (city). Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.