Stafford County, Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aquia Harbour and Boswell's Corner
The data center boom is not abstract in Stafford County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 18 data centers in Stafford County. Construction employs 3,637, up 49.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Stafford County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Aquia Harbour, Boswell's Corner, Camp Barrett, are unincorporated and governed by the county. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers with no end date”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Stafford County stricter data center rules (GWV Data Center reclassification context).
Cities and towns in Stafford County
Stafford County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Aquia Harbour, Boswell's Corner, Camp Barrett, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Aquia Harbour, Boswell's Corner, Camp Barrett, Falmouth, Quantico Base, Southern Gateway, Stafford Courthouse.
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 Stafford County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 157,763 | 170,803 | ▲ 8.3% | 12th of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 45,252 | 51,229 | ▲ 13.2% | 15th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $53,730 | $65,799 | ▲ 22.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,433 | 3,637 | ▲ 49.5% | 12th of 83 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.6% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 143% of today's fleet | 29th of 29 by size |
5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar). Employers here counted 51,229 jobs in 2025, up 13.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 63% of it other technologies. 170,803 people live here, up 8.3% since 2020. Virginia Electric & Power Co is the largest utility serving Stafford County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.09¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.39¢ median for Virginia utilities.
Who powers Stafford County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Stafford 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% |
| Rappahannock Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 169,489 | 14.89¢ | 11% |
| Northern Virginia Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 167,274 | 11.57¢ | 81% |
| 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 63% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 37% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameresco Stafford | AMERESCO Stafford LLC | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2009 |
| North Stafford HS | Madison Energy Investments LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinglet | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
The Stafford County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 51,229 | $65,799 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,637 | $55,472 | 1.34 |
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 Stafford County
18 data centers in Stafford County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers with no end date | In force | 2025-10 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford County stricter data center rules (GWV Data Center reclassification context) | delayed | — |
Stafford County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Stafford County, Prince William 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford County | 170,803 | ▲ 13.2% | 4 MW | 5 MW | 18 | 1 |
| Caroline County | 34,413 | ▲ 18.7% | 892 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Culpeper County | 57,666 | ▲ 2.2% | 7 MW | 100 MW | 5 | 1 |
| Fauquier County | 76,503 | ▲ 7.5% | 1,322 MW | 14 MW | 4 | — |
| Fredericksburg (city) | 30,393 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | 1 | — |
| King George County | 29,646 | ▲ 13.8% | 13 MW | — | — | — |
| Prince William County | 502,966 | ▲ 9.7% | 786 MW | 60 MW | 260 | 1 |
| Spotsylvania County | 155,388 | ▲ 5.7% | 500 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
More of Virginia
Stafford County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stafford County, Virginia?
4 utilities have service territory in Stafford County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Virginia Electric & Power Co, Rappahannock Electric Coop, Northern Virginia Elec Coop, Northern Neck Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Virginia Electric & Power Co, charged residential customers 14.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Stafford County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Ameresco Stafford (2 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Stafford County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cypress Creek Renewables.
Are there data centers in Stafford County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 18 data centers in Stafford County.
Is Stafford County adding jobs?
Employers counted 51,229 jobs in 2025 against 45,252 in 2019 (+13.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,433 to 3,637.
Does Stafford County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Stafford County, 1 in force.