Lee County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pennington Gap
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lee County is home to Pennington Gap and Jonesville. Next door, Wise County has 1 data center. Construction employs 195, up 2.1% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Kentucky Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Lee County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.28¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Lee County
Lee County is home to Pennington Gap and Jonesville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Dryden, Ewing, Keokee, Rose Hill, Stickleyville.
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 Lee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,110 | 21,642 | ▼ 2.1% | 79th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,187 | 4,198 | ▲ 0.3% | 75th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,601 | $47,306 | ▲ 40.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 191 | 195 | ▲ 2.1% | 55th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.8% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
Employers here counted 4,198 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 21,642 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Lee County
Utilities with service territory in Lee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 22,669 | 14.28¢ | 37% |
| Powell Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,589 | 11.42¢ | 25% |
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 Lee County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,198 | $47,306 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 195 | $64,379 | 0.88 |
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 Lee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lee County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bell County.
Lee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lee County, Wise 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 21,642 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Bell County KY | 22,829 | ▲ 2.3% | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Claiborne County TN | 33,229 | ▼ 5.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Hancock County TN | 7,075 | ▲ 14.6% | 22 MW | — | — | — |
| Harlan County KY | 24,725 | ▲ 1.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Scott County | 21,200 | ▼ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wise County | 34,824 | ▼ 6.2% | 671 MW | 20 MW | 1 | — |
More of Virginia
Lee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lee County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Lee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Kentucky Utilities Co, Powell Valley Electric Coop. The largest, Kentucky Utilities Co, charged residential customers 14.28¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Lee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lee County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wise County.
Is Lee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,198 jobs in 2025 against 4,187 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 191 to 195.
Does Lee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lee County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.