Roanoke County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Vinton
Roanoke 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. Roanoke County is home to Vinton. Next door, Bedford County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 37,434 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Roanoke County
Roanoke County is home to Vinton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cave Spring, Glenvar, Hollins.
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 Roanoke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 96,958 | 97,150 | ▲ 0.2% | 22nd of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39,219 | 37,434 | ▼ 4.6% | 101st of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,576 | $56,270 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Roanoke County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 97,150 people live here, up 0.2% since 2020.
Who powers Roanoke County
Utilities with service territory in Roanoke 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 Salem - (VA) | Municipal | Bundled | 11,298 | 15.11¢ | 28% |
| Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara | Appalachian Power Co | Hydro | 4 MW | 1954 |
The Roanoke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 37,434 | $56,270 | 1.00 |
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 Roanoke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Roanoke County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Roanoke County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Roanoke County, Bedford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke County | 97,150 | ▼ 4.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Bedford County | 83,059 | ▼ 0.3% | 22 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Botetourt County | 34,144 | ▲ 8.1% | — | 78 MW | 1 | — |
| Craig County | 4,800 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Floyd County | 15,789 | ▲ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 55,526 | ▲ 4.8% | — | 12 MW | 1 | — |
| Montgomery County | 98,434 | ▲ 4.0% | 24 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Roanoke (city) | 99,111 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Salem (city) | 25,816 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Roanoke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Roanoke County, Virginia?
3 utilities have service territory in Roanoke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co, City of Salem - (VA), Craig-Botetourt Electric Coop. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Roanoke County?
1 operating plant with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Niagara (4 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Roanoke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Roanoke County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bedford County.
Is Roanoke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 37,434 jobs in 2025 against 39,219 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Roanoke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Roanoke County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.