Smyth County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Marion, Saltville and Chilhowie
Smyth 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. Smyth County is home to Marion, most of Saltville (1,600 of its 1,760 residents) and Chilhowie. Construction employs 420, up 5.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 11,230 jobs in 2025, down 7.5% from 2019. Appalachian Power Co is the largest utility serving Smyth County. Its residential customers paid an average 17.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Smyth County
Smyth County is home to Marion, most of Saltville (1,600 of its 1,760 residents) and Chilhowie.
- Saltville also extends into Washington County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Adwolf, Allison Gap, Atkins, McMullin, Seven Mile Ford, Sugar Grove.
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 Smyth County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 29,780 | 28,882 | ▼ 3.0% | 65th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,137 | 11,230 | ▼ 7.5% | 117th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,076 | $50,559 | ▲ 40.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 400 | 420 | ▲ 5.0% | 51st of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
28,882 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Smyth County
Utilities with service territory in Smyth 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% |
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 Smyth County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Smyth County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,230 | $50,559 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 420 | $66,702 | 0.71 |
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 Smyth County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Smyth County. Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.
Smyth County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Smyth County, Russell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smyth County | 28,882 | ▼ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Bland County | 6,151 | ▲ 7.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Grayson County | 15,230 | ▲ 1.2% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Russell County | 25,332 | ▼ 9.0% | 475 MW | — | — | — |
| Tazewell County | 38,635 | ▼ 7.4% | — | 13 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 53,898 | ▲ 5.2% | 285 MW | — | — | — |
| Wythe County | 27,983 | ▲ 2.6% | 95 MW | — | — | — |
More of Virginia
Smyth County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Smyth County, Virginia?
1 utility has service territory in Smyth County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Appalachian Power Co. The largest, Appalachian Power Co, charged residential customers 17.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Smyth County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Smyth County.
Is Smyth County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,230 jobs in 2025 against 12,137 in 2019 (-7.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 400 to 420.
Does Smyth County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Smyth County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.