# Data Centers in Onslow County, NC: Rules, Power, Records | FOUND Onslow 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/onslow-county/ Last updated 2026.09.30 ## Onslow County at a glance - County seat: Jacksonville - Population, 2024 estimate: 212954 - Land area, square miles: 762.1 - Development tier, 2026: Tier 2 - Last reappraisal: 2022 - Next reappraisal: 2027 - Regional council: Eastern Carolina Council of Governments ## Local government actions We found no recorded moratorium or ordinance action on data centers in this county. A town inside the county can act separately, and an empty search is not a clearance. ## Announced projects We have no announced data-center project on record for this county. ## Zoning and land-use rules in Onslow County Onslow County zones the unincorporated land outside municipal planning jurisdictions. County zoning covers land outside municipal planning jurisdictions, with exemptions for bona fide farms and federal government land. https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23671/Zoning-Ordinance ### How the county ordinance treats a data center The county ordinance names this use. "Data Centers" are permitted in O-I, HB, L-IN, and H-IN districts under the permitted-use table. https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23671/Zoning-Ordinance ### Municipalities in Onslow County Holly Ridge, Jacksonville, North Topsail Beach, Richlands, Surf City, Swansboro ## Electric providers in Onslow 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 Onslow County. - Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative (cooperative) https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members - Four County EMC (cooperative) https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members - Jones-Onslow EMC (cooperative) https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/our-members - 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 Onslow County - [Onslow County Register of Deeds](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2137/Register-of-Deeds): Deeds, plats, easements, and deeds of trust. - [Onslow County eSearch](https://deeds.onslowcountync.gov/External/User/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/external/): Recorded documents, searched by name or by book and page. - [Onslow County Tax Office](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2354/Tax-Office): Assessed value, tax bills, and present-use status. - [Onslow County Planning & Development](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2136/Planning-Development): Zoning maps, the ordinance, and permit history. ## Reappraisal and development tier Onslow County last reappraised real property effective 2022. The next reappraisal is scheduled for 2027. The North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks Onslow 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. ### Does Onslow County have a data center moratorium? We found no recorded moratorium action on data centers in Onslow County as of 2026.09.30. That is not a clearance, because a town inside the county can act separately. ### What data centers are planned in Onslow County? We have no announced data-center project on record for Onslow County as of 2026.09.30. ### Does Onslow County have zoning? Onslow County zones the unincorporated land outside municipal planning jurisdictions. County zoning covers land outside municipal planning jurisdictions, with exemptions for bona fide farms and federal government land. ### Who provides electricity in Onslow County? Providers with territory or customers in Onslow County: Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative; Four County EMC; Jones-Onslow EMC; Duke Energy Progress. The provider for a parcel depends on where the parcel sits. ## Neighboring counties - [Carteret County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/carteret-county/index.md) - [Duplin County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/duplin-county/index.md) - [Jones County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/jones-county/index.md) - [Pender County](https://lotsfound.com/research/north-carolina/pender-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/) - [Onslow County ordinance use search](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/DocumentCenter/View/23671/Zoning-Ordinance) - [Onslow County Planning & Development](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2136/Planning-Development) - [Onslow County Register of Deeds](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2137/Register-of-Deeds) - [Onslow County eSearch](https://deeds.onslowcountync.gov/External/User/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/external/) - [Onslow County Tax Office](https://www.onslowcountync.gov/2354/Tax-Office) - [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) Transactions are handled through a licensed North Carolina real estate brokerage.