Data centers in Cherokee County, North Carolina
The public record for Cherokee County: 1 local government action on data centers, 1 announced project, the county's zoning, its electric providers, and the offices that hold the land records.
Cherokee County at a glance
- County seat
- Murphy
- Population, 2024 estimate
- 30,373
- Land area, square miles
- 455.5
- Development tier, 2026
- Tier 2
- Last reappraisal
- 2020
- Next reappraisal
- 2028
- Regional council
- Southwestern Commission
Local government actions
| Jurisdiction | Date | Status | What happened | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | 2026-01 | debated | County commissioners discussed renewing a cryptocurrency mining moratorium and extending it to AI data centers in January 2026. | [1] |
Announced projects
| Company | Location | Announced | MW | Acres | Status | What happened | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Scientific | Marble | 65 | 73 | operating | Core Scientific is converting its Marble cryptocurrency facility to AI and high-performance computing for CoreWeave. Its April 2026 filing describes 65 MW planned capacity and 37 MW operational and billing. | [1][2] |
Zoning and land-use rules in Cherokee County
We could not confirm the extent of county zoning in Cherokee County from the public record. The planning office can state it.
How the county ordinance treats a data center
We could not search the full county ordinance text for a data-center use. The planning office can state how the county classifies one.
A use that the ordinance does not name is classified by the planning staff, and the permit path follows from that decision. Special use permits, conditional zoning, and rezoning
Municipalities in Cherokee County
2 incorporated municipalities lie wholly or partly in Cherokee County. A municipality regulates land inside its limits, and some also regulate a band outside them. Who regulates a property in North Carolina
- Andrews
- Murphy
Electric providers in Cherokee County
North Carolina assigns electric service by territory, so the provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits. These providers have territory or customers in Cherokee County.
| Provider | Type | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Carolinas | investor-owned | [1] |
A provider's presence does not show that it can serve a large load at a given point. Only the utility can state that.
Where the land records are in Cherokee County
County offices hold the records that show who owns a parcel, what is recorded against it, and how it is taxed.
- Cherokee County GIS parcel viewerParcel boundaries, parcel numbers, the owner of record, and mapped acreage.
- Cherokee County Register of DeedsDeeds, plats, easements, and deeds of trust.
- Cherokee County Register of Deeds Remote AccessRecorded documents, searched by name or by book and page.
- Cherokee County Tax AssessorAssessed value, tax bills, and present-use status.
- How to find the owner of a property
- How to read a plat map
- What a title search for land covers
- Why county records come first
Reappraisal and development tier
Cherokee County last reappraised real property effective 2020. The next reappraisal is scheduled for 2028.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks Cherokee County as Tier 2 for 2026. Tier 1 marks the most economically distressed counties and Tier 3 the least. The tier sets eligibility for several state incentive programs.
How to read this
County and town are different governments. A county can have no pause while a town inside it has one, and the reverse. Before you rely on any row, confirm which government regulates the parcel, then read the ordinance in the linked source for its scope and end date.
- How to read a data-center moratorium
- Zoning and moratorium research
- All North Carolina actions
- All North Carolina projects
Questions
Does Cherokee County have a data center moratorium?
We found no adopted pause on record in Cherokee County. The record does show: Cherokee County (2026-01). See the linked sources for the current status.
What data centers are planned in Cherokee County?
Announced projects on record in Cherokee County: Core Scientific, Marble (operating). Each row on this page links to its public source.
Does Cherokee County have zoning?
We could not confirm the extent of county zoning in Cherokee County from the public record. The planning office can state it.
Who provides electricity in Cherokee County?
Providers with territory or customers in Cherokee County: Duke Energy Carolinas. The provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits.
Where do I find parcel records for Cherokee County?
The Cherokee County GIS parcel viewer shows parcel boundaries and the owner of record. The Cherokee County Register of Deeds holds deeds, plats, and easements.
Neighboring counties
Sources for this page
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Population Totals, Vintage 2024
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files, Counties
- 2026 North Carolina Development Tier Designations, N.C. Department of Commerce, November 26, 2025
- 2026-2027 Property Tax Rates And Reappraisal Schedules For North Carolina Counties, N.C. Department of Revenue
- Regional Councils, North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments
- Cherokee County GIS parcel viewer
- Cherokee County Register of Deeds
- Cherokee County Register of Deeds Remote Access
- Cherokee County Tax Assessor
- Company-reported county service territories, Form EIA-861 2024 final data (Service_Territory_2024.xlsx)
- www.wunc.org
- investors.corescientific.com
Looking at land in Cherokee County?
Send the parcel and the county. We confirm which government regulates it and read the record for power, local rules, and usable ground.