Southampton County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Courtland
The data center boom is not abstract in Southampton County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Southampton County. Southampton County is home to Courtland and Boykins. Construction employs 103, up 6.2% since 2019. Employers here counted 3,487 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Southampton County
Southampton County is home to Courtland and Boykins.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Sedley, Southampton Meadows.
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 Southampton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,950 | 18,110 | ▲ 0.9% | 85th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,659 | 3,487 | ▼ 4.7% | 102nd of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,948 | $51,433 | ▲ 39.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97 | 103 | ▲ 6.2% | 48th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 182 MW of capacity, 55% of it solar. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Southampton County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities. 18,110 people live here, up 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Southampton County
Utilities with service territory in Southampton 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% |
| Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,016 | 14.50¢ | 71% |
| Prince George Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,954 | 13.05¢ | 20% |
| Community Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Franklin - (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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 100 MW | 55% |
| Other technologies | 71 MW | 39% |
| Petroleum | 10 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton Solar, LLC | Dominion Renewable Energy | Solar | 100 MW | 2017 |
| Southampton Power Station | Virginia Electric & Power Co | Other technologies | 71 MW | 1992 |
| Nottoway Diesel Generating Facility | Old Dominion Electric Coop | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2002 |
| Downtown | City of Franklin - (VA) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 1992 |
| Pretlow | City of Franklin - (VA) | Petroleum | 3 MW | 2001 |
The Southampton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,487 | $51,433 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 103 | $62,315 | 0.56 |
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 Southampton County
1 data center in Southampton County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Southampton County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Southampton County, Surry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton County | 18,110 | ▼ 4.7% | 182 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Franklin (city) | 8,478 | ▼ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Gates County NC | 10,234 | ▼ 6.0% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Greensville County | 11,181 | ▼ 23.0% | 2,095 MW | — | — | — |
| Hertford County NC | 19,015 | ▼ 7.7% | 222 MW | — | — | — |
| Isle of Wight County | 41,321 | ▼ 8.8% | 337 MW | 258 MW | 2 | — |
| Northampton County NC | 16,491 | ▼ 14.3% | 363 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Suffolk (city) | 104,699 | ▲ 36.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Surry County | 6,603 | ▲ 2.3% | 2,493 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Sussex County | 10,755 | ▼ 12.9% | 138 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Virginia
Southampton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Southampton County, Virginia?
5 utilities have service territory in Southampton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative, Prince George Electric Coop, Community Electric Coop. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Southampton County?
5 operating plants with 182 MW of capacity. The largest is Southampton Solar, LLC (100 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Southampton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Southampton County.
Is Southampton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,487 jobs in 2025 against 3,659 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 97 to 103.
Does Southampton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Southampton County. Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.