Clarke County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Berryville
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clarke County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 528, up 59.5% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Clarke County is home to Berryville and Boyce. Electrical contractors employ 78, up 47.2% since 2019 against up 33.4% statewide, at an average $53,136 a year. Next door, Loudoun County has 342 data centers. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Clarke County
Clarke County is home to Berryville and Boyce.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Shenandoah Farms, Shenandoah Retreat.
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 Clarke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,817 | 15,609 | ▲ 5.3% | 97th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,953 | 4,140 | ▲ 4.7% | 45th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,918 | $57,405 | ▲ 30.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 331 | 528 | ▲ 59.5% | 6th of 83 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 53 | 78 | ▲ 47.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 4,140 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 10 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Clarke 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. 15,609 people live here, up 5.3% since 2020.
Who powers Clarke County
Utilities with service territory in Clarke 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% |
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 169,489 | 14.89¢ | 11% |
| Northern Virginia Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 167,274 | 11.57¢ | 81% |
| Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 85,281 | 13.81¢ | 22% |
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 | 10 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 10 MW | 2017 |
The Clarke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,140 | $57,405 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 528 | $66,284 | 2.41 |
| Electrical contractors | 78 | $53,136 | 2.61 |
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 Clarke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clarke County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Loudoun County.
Clarke County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clarke County, Loudoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County | 15,609 | ▲ 4.7% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Berkeley County WV | 139,522 | ▲ 7.5% | 7 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Fauquier County | 76,503 | ▲ 7.5% | 1,322 MW | 14 MW | 4 | — |
| Frederick County | 99,955 | ▲ 16.4% | 223 MW | 30 MW | 1 | — |
| Jefferson County WV | 63,102 | ▲ 9.4% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
| Loudoun County | 449,749 | ▲ 16.8% | 812 MW | 170 MW | 342 | 1 |
| Warren County | 42,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 1,475 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Clarke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarke County, Virginia?
4 utilities have service territory in Clarke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Rappahannock Electric Coop, Northern Virginia Elec Coop, Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clarke County?
1 operating plant with 10 MW of capacity. The largest is Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC (10 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Clarke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clarke County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Loudoun County.
Is Clarke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,140 jobs in 2025 against 3,953 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 331 to 528.
Does Clarke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clarke County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.