Highland County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to McDowell
No data center or power plant project is on record in Highland County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 613 jobs in 2025, up 32.7% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 133 Virginia counties). Highland County is home to Monterey. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop is the largest utility serving Highland County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.81¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Highland County
Highland County is home to Monterey.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): McDowell.
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 Highland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,242 | 2,318 | ▲ 3.4% | 133rd of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 462 | 613 | ▲ 32.7% | 2nd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,417 | $49,684 | ▲ 58.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39 | 47 | ▲ 20.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 3.2% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
2,318 people live here, up 3.4% since 2020.
Who powers Highland County
Utilities with service territory in Highland County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 85,281 | 13.81¢ | 22% |
| BARC Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey Diesel Generation Facility | Old Dominion Electric Coop | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2016 |
The Highland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 613 | $49,684 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 47 | $33,811 | 1.45 |
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 Highland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Highland County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Highland County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Highland County, Bath 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland County | 2,318 | ▲ 32.7% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Augusta County | 78,940 | ▲ 9.6% | 8 MW | 11 MW | — | — |
| Bath County | 4,076 | ▲ 2.9% | 2,867 MW | — | — | — |
| Pendleton County WV | 5,826 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Pocahontas County WV | 7,602 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Highland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Highland County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Highland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop, BARC Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Shenandoah Valley Elec Coop, charged residential customers 13.81¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Highland County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Monterey Diesel Generation Facility (6 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Highland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Highland County.
Is Highland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 613 jobs in 2025 against 462 in 2019 (+32.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 39 to 47.
Does Highland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Highland County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.