Patrick County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stuart
Patrick County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Patrick County. Patrick County is home to Stuart. Construction employs 130, up 14.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 4,043 jobs in 2025, down 8.7% from 2019. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly hydro.
Cities and towns in Patrick County
Patrick County is home to Stuart.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Meadows of Dan, Patrick Springs.
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 Patrick County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,583 | 17,424 | ▼ 0.9% | 86th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,427 | 4,043 | ▼ 8.7% | 120th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $29,995 | $41,545 | ▲ 38.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 114 | 130 | ▲ 14.0% | 35th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Patrick County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 17,424 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Patrick County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Patrick 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% |
| City of Danville - (VA) | Municipal | Bundled | 37,781 | 15.01¢ | 29% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnacles | Northbrook Virginia Hydro, LLC | Hydro | 12 MW | 1938 |
The Patrick County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,043 | $41,545 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 130 | $44,275 | 0.61 |
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 Patrick County
1 data center in Patrick County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Patrick County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Patrick County, Stokes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick County | 17,424 | ▼ 8.7% | 12 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Carroll County | 29,299 | ▼ 6.7% | 50 MW | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 15,789 | ▲ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 55,526 | ▲ 4.8% | — | 12 MW | 1 | — |
| Henry County | 49,242 | ▼ 4.0% | 156 MW | 201 MW | — | — |
| Stokes County NC | 46,126 | ▼ 1.0% | 2,555 MW | 34 MW | — | 1 |
| Surry County NC | 72,287 | ▼ 0.8% | 92 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Virginia
Patrick County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Patrick County, Virginia?
2 utilities have service territory in Patrick County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, City of Danville - (VA). The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Patrick County?
1 operating plant with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Pinnacles (12 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Patrick County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Patrick County.
Is Patrick County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,043 jobs in 2025 against 4,427 in 2019 (-8.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 114 to 130.
Does Patrick County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Patrick County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.