Montgomery County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Blacksburg and Christiansburg
The data center boom is not abstract in Montgomery County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Montgomery County. Montgomery County is home to Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Construction employs 1,262, up 19.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 43,874 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Montgomery County
Montgomery County is home to Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belview, Elliston, Lafayette, Merrimac, Plum Creek, Prices Fork, Riner, Shawsville.
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 Montgomery County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 99,593 | 98,434 | ▼ 1.2% | 21st of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 42,181 | 43,874 | ▲ 4.0% | 49th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,612 | $62,085 | ▲ 33.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,055 | 1,262 | ▲ 19.6% | 27th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 24 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 163, at an average $60,878 a year. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Montgomery County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 98,434 people live here, down 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Montgomery County
Utilities with service territory in Montgomery 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% |
| Virginia Tech Electric Service | State | Bundled | 5,660 | 17.18¢ | 81% |
| Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Radford - (VA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 24 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radford Army Ammunition Plant | U.S. Army - Radford | Natural gas | 18 MW | 1990 |
| Virginia Tech Power Plant | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and State Unv | Natural gas | 6 MW | 1976 |
The Montgomery County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 43,874 | $62,085 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,262 | $64,651 | 0.54 |
| Electrical contractors | 163 | $60,878 | 0.52 |
| Electric utilities | 11 | $122,013 | 0.09 |
| Data processing and hosting | 15 | $112,679 | 0.11 |
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 Montgomery County
2 data centers in Montgomery County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Montgomery County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 98,434 | ▲ 4.0% | 24 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Craig County | 4,800 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Floyd County | 15,789 | ▲ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Giles County | 16,564 | ▲ 16.1% | 27 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pulaski County | 33,586 | ▼ 6.3% | 81 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Radford (city) | 17,243 | ▲ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Roanoke County | 97,150 | ▼ 4.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Montgomery County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Montgomery County, Virginia?
4 utilities have service territory in Montgomery County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, Virginia Tech Electric Service, Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop, City of Radford - (VA). The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Blacksburg, VA in?
Blacksburg is in Montgomery County, Virginia. About 45,104 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Christiansburg, VA in?
Christiansburg is in Montgomery County, Virginia. About 22,442 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Montgomery County?
2 operating plants with 24 MW of capacity. The largest is Radford Army Ammunition Plant (18 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Montgomery County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Montgomery County.
Is Montgomery County adding jobs?
Employers counted 43,874 jobs in 2025 against 42,181 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,055 to 1,262.
Does Montgomery County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Montgomery County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.