# Data Centers in McDowell County, NC: Rules, Power, Records | FOUND McDowell County, North Carolina for data-center and land buyers: local actions, announced projects, county zoning, electric providers, and the land records offices. Canonical: https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/mcdowell-county/ Last updated 2026.09.30 ## McDowell County at a glance - County seat: Marion - Population, 2024 estimate: 45269 - Land area, square miles: 440 - Development tier, 2026: Tier 1 - Last reappraisal: 2023 - Next reappraisal: 2027 - Regional council: Foothills Regional Commission ## Local government actions - McDowell County, 2026-08, adopted: McDowell County adopted a six-month data center development moratorium on August 31, 2026. https://www.carolinajournal.com/mcdowell-joins-nc-data-center-pause/ ## Announced projects We have no announced data-center project on record for this county. ## Zoning and land-use rules in McDowell County McDowell County zones part of its unincorporated land. The rest has no county zoning district. County zoning covers designated districts, and the ordinance allows groups of landowners to request conversion from unzoned areas. https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/planning/ordinances/Zoning_Ordinance.pdf ### How the county ordinance treats a data center The county ordinance names this use. "Data processing service" is a use by right in the General Business district. https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/planning/ordinances/Zoning_Ordinance.pdf ### Municipalities in McDowell County Marion, Old Fort ## Electric providers in McDowell 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 McDowell County. - Rutherford EMC (cooperative) https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members - Duke Energy Carolinas (investor-owned) https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/zip/f8612024.zip - Duke Energy Progress (investor-owned) https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/zip/f8612024.zip 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 McDowell County - [McDowell County GIS parcel viewer](https://www.webgis.net/nc/McDowell/): Parcel boundaries, parcel numbers, the owner of record, and mapped acreage. - [McDowell County Register of Deeds](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/register-of-deeds): Deeds, plats, easements, and deeds of trust. - [McDowell County online land records search](https://search.mcdowelldeeds.com/index.php): Recorded documents, searched by name or by book and page. - [McDowell County Tax Assessing](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/tax-assessing): Assessed value, tax bills, and present-use status. - [McDowell County Planning Department](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/planning): Zoning maps, the ordinance, and permit history. ## Reappraisal and development tier McDowell County last reappraised real property effective 2023. The next reappraisal is scheduled for 2027. The North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks McDowell County as Tier 1 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. ### Does McDowell County have a data center moratorium? The public record shows adopted local action in McDowell County: McDowell County (2026-08). Read the linked ordinance for its scope and end date, because boards extend and amend these. ### What data centers are planned in McDowell County? We have no announced data-center project on record for McDowell County as of 2026.09.30. ### Does McDowell County have zoning? McDowell County zones part of its unincorporated land. The rest has no county zoning district. County zoning covers designated districts, and the ordinance allows groups of landowners to request conversion from unzoned areas. ### Who provides electricity in McDowell County? Providers with territory or customers in McDowell County: Rutherford EMC; Duke Energy Carolinas; Duke Energy Progress. The provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits. ### Where do I find parcel records for McDowell County? The McDowell County GIS parcel viewer shows parcel boundaries and the owner of record. The McDowell County Register of Deeds holds deeds, plats, and easements. ## Neighboring counties - [Avery County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/avery-county/index.md) - [Buncombe County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/buncombe-county/index.md) - [Burke County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/burke-county/index.md) - [Mitchell County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/mitchell-county/index.md) - [Rutherford County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/rutherford-county/index.md) - [Yancey County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/yancey-county/index.md) ## Sources for this page - [U.S. Census Bureau, County Population Totals, Vintage 2024](https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html) - [U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files, Counties](https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html) - [2026 North Carolina Development Tier Designations, N.C. Department of Commerce, November 26, 2025](https://www.commerce.nc.gov/report-county-tiers-ranking-memo-current-year/open) - [2026-2027 Property Tax Rates And Reappraisal Schedules For North Carolina Counties, N.C. Department of Revenue](https://www.ncdor.gov/2026-2027countytaxratesfinalxlsx/open) - [Regional Councils, North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments](https://ncarcog.org/regional-councils/) - [McDowell County ordinance use search](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/planning/ordinances/Zoning_Ordinance.pdf) - [McDowell County Planning Department](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/planning) - [McDowell County GIS parcel viewer](https://www.webgis.net/nc/McDowell/) - [McDowell County Register of Deeds](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/register-of-deeds) - [McDowell County online land records search](https://search.mcdowelldeeds.com/index.php) - [McDowell County Tax Assessing](https://mcdowellnc.gov/departments/tax-assessing) - [Our Members | North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives](https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members) - [Company-reported county service territories, Form EIA-861 2024 final data (Service_Territory_2024.xlsx)](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/zip/f8612024.zip) - [www.carolinajournal.com](https://www.carolinajournal.com/mcdowell-joins-nc-data-center-pause/) Transactions are handled through a licensed North Carolina real estate brokerage.