Northumberland County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Heathsville
Northumberland County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Northumberland County is home to part of Kilmarnock (76 of its 1,457 residents). Construction employs 167, down 15.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,314 jobs in 2025, down 10.5% from 2019. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Northumberland County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 12,557 people live here, up 6.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Northumberland County
Northumberland County is home to part of Kilmarnock (76 of its 1,457 residents).
- Kilmarnock also extends into Lancaster County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Heathsville.
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 Northumberland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,838 | 12,557 | ▲ 6.1% | 107th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,585 | 2,314 | ▼ 10.5% | 126th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,970 | $51,559 | ▲ 5.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 197 | 167 | ▼ 15.2% | 78th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.8% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019.
Who powers Northumberland County
Utilities with service territory in Northumberland 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% |
| Northern Neck Elec Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,991 | 16.12¢ | 14% |
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 Northumberland County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Northumberland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,314 | $51,559 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 167 | $76,533 | 1.36 |
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 Northumberland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Northumberland County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Northumberland County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Northumberland County, Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northumberland County | 12,557 | ▼ 10.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Lancaster County | 10,995 | ▲ 2.5% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Richmond County | 9,294 | ▲ 3.1% | 215 MW | 122 MW | — | — |
| Westmoreland County | 19,715 | ▼ 6.4% | 56 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Northumberland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Northumberland County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Northumberland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Northern Neck Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Northumberland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Northumberland County.
Is Northumberland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,314 jobs in 2025 against 2,585 in 2019 (-10.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 197 to 167.
Does Northumberland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Northumberland County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.