Yavapai County, Arizona: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Prescott Valley, Prescott and Chino Valley
Yavapai County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Yavapai County is home to Prescott Valley, Prescott, Chino Valley and Cottonwood. Construction employs 5,965, up 17.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Maricopa County has 183 data centers and 3,792 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 71,329 jobs in 2025, up 9.4% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 15 Arizona counties). 19 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage.
Cities and towns in Yavapai County
Yavapai County is home to Prescott Valley, Prescott, Chino Valley and Cottonwood.
- Sedona also extends into Coconino County.
- Wickenburg also extends into Maricopa County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ash Fork, Bagdad, Black Canyon City, Congress, Cordes Lakes, Cornville, Lake Montezuma, Mayer, Paulden, Peeples Valley, Seligman, Spring Valley, Verde Village, Village of Oak Creek (Big Park), Wilhoit, Williamson, Yarnell.
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 Yavapai County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Arizona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 237,223 | 252,552 | ▲ 6.5% | 4th of 15 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 65,202 | 71,329 | ▲ 9.4% | 7th of 15 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,830 | $56,601 | ▲ 38.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,082 | 5,965 | ▲ 17.4% | 10th of 11 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 5.6% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 19 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 67 MW of capacity, 72% of it solar. Arizona Public Service Co is the largest utility serving Yavapai County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.45¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.49¢ median for Arizona utilities. 252,552 people live here, up 6.5% since 2020, 4th of 15 Arizona counties by population.
Who powers Yavapai County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +19 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Yavapai County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Public Service Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,256,120 | 16.45¢ | 48% |
| Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,009 | 11.20¢ | 28% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 27% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 48 MW | 72% |
| Battery storage | 19 MW | 28% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chino Valley Solar | Arizona Public Service Co | Battery storage | 38 MW | 2012 |
| RE Bagdad Solar I LLC | Deriva Energy | Solar | 15 MW | 2011 |
| Prescott Solar Plant | SunE AZ1, LLC | Solar | 11 MW | 2011 |
| Prescott Airport | Arizona Public Service Co | Solar | 3 MW | 2002 |
The Yavapai County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 71,329 | $56,601 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,965 | $61,725 | 1.58 |
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 Yavapai County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Yavapai County. Arizona has 6 local measures on record statewide.
Yavapai County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Yavapai County, Maricopa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yavapai County | 252,552 | ▲ 9.4% | 67 MW | — | — | — |
| Coconino County | 144,368 | ▲ 6.3% | 2,028 MW | 2,700 MW | — | — |
| Gila County | 53,801 | ▲ 3.3% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| La Paz County | 16,711 | ▲ 10.8% | 1,213 MW | 3,013 MW | — | — |
| Maricopa County | 4,689,558 | ▲ 11.0% | 23,852 MW | 3,792 MW | 183 | — |
| Mohave County | 228,102 | ▲ 9.9% | 3,321 MW | 267 MW | — | — |
More of Arizona
Yavapai County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Yavapai County, Arizona?
3 utilities have service territory in Yavapai County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Arizona Public Service Co, Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc., WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Arizona Public Service Co, charged residential customers 16.45¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Prescott Valley, AZ in?
Prescott Valley is in Yavapai County, Arizona. About 52,423 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Prescott, AZ in?
Prescott is in Yavapai County, Arizona. About 48,420 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Chino Valley, AZ in?
Chino Valley is in Yavapai County, Arizona. About 13,832 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Yavapai County?
4 operating plants with 67 MW of capacity. The largest is Chino Valley Solar (38 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Yavapai County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Yavapai County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Maricopa County.
Is Yavapai County adding jobs?
Employers counted 71,329 jobs in 2025 against 65,202 in 2019 (+9.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,082 to 5,965.
Does Yavapai County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Yavapai County. Arizona has 6 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.