Alpine County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alpine Village and Bear Valley
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alpine County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 1,009 jobs in 2025, up 32.2% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 58 California counties). Unemployment was 10.4% in August 2026, against 7.1% in 2019. Alpine County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Alpine Village, Bear Valley, Kirkwood, are unincorporated and governed by the county. 1,043 people live here, down 11.6% since 2020. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Alpine County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 39.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 20.66¢ median for California utilities.
Cities and towns in Alpine County
Alpine County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Alpine Village, Bear Valley, Kirkwood, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alpine Village, Bear Valley, Kirkwood, Markleeville, Mesa Vista.
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 Alpine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,180 | 1,043 | ▼ 11.6% | 58th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 763 | 1,009 | ▲ 32.2% | 1st of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,308 | $48,783 | ▲ 21.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.1% | 10.4% | ▲ 3.3pts | — |
Who powers Alpine County
Utilities with service territory in Alpine County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 5,047,461 | 39.62¢ | 30% |
| Liberty Utilities | Investor Owned | Bundled | 43,902 | 25.92¢ | 49% |
| Kirkwood Meadows PUD | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Alpine County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Alpine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,009 | $48,783 | 1.00 |
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 Alpine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alpine County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Calaveras County, Tuolumne County.
Alpine County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Alpine County, Tuolumne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine County | 1,043 | ▲ 32.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Amador County | 41,876 | ▼ 0.7% | 234 MW | — | — | — |
| Calaveras County | 46,605 | ▲ 3.6% | 285 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Douglas County NV | 50,111 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| El Dorado County | 192,323 | ▲ 2.3% | 779 MW | — | — | — |
| Mono County | 12,505 | ▲ 8.5% | 187 MW | — | — | — |
| Tuolumne County | 53,160 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,166 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of California
Alpine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alpine County, California?
3 utilities have service territory in Alpine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Liberty Utilities, Kirkwood Meadows PUD. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Alpine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alpine County.
Is Alpine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,009 jobs in 2025 against 763 in 2019 (+32.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Alpine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alpine County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.