Marin County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to San Rafael, Novato and Mill Valley
Marin 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. Marin County is home to San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley and Larkspur. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Next door, Sonoma County has 2 data centers. Construction employs 7,358, down 4.5% since 2019. 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Marin County
Marin County is home to San Rafael, Novato, Mill Valley and Larkspur.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alto, Black Point-Green Point, Bolinas, Dillon Beach, Inverness, Kentfield, Lagunitas-Forest Knolls, Lucas Valley-Marinwood, Marin City, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Point Reyes Station, San Geronimo, Santa Venetia, Sleepy Hollow, Stinson Beach, Strawberry, Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, Tomales, Woodacre.
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 Marin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 261,337 | 253,694 | ▼ 2.9% | 26th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 116,240 | 110,071 | ▼ 5.3% | 56th of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $73,937 | $94,975 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,703 | 7,358 | ▼ 4.5% | 39th of 51 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 129 | 154 | ▲ 19.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 110,071 jobs in 2025, down 5.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 50% of it other technologies. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Marin County. Its residential customers paid an average 39.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 20.66¢ median for California utilities. 253,694 people live here, down 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Marin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Marin 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% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 50% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 50% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste Mangement Redwood LFGTE | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 4 MW | 2017 |
| Silveira Ranch Road Solar | Silveira Ranch Road Solar | Solar | 3 MW | 2021 |
| Cottonwood Solar, LLC Cottonwood Carport | Onward Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2016 |
The Marin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 110,071 | $94,975 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,358 | $95,794 | 1.26 |
| Electric utilities | 78 | $249,877 | 0.26 |
| Data processing and hosting | 154 | $169,594 | 0.45 |
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 Marin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marin County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide.
Marin County and its neighbors
Of the 1 counties that border Marin County, Sonoma 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marin County | 253,694 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Sonoma County | 486,444 | ▼ 2.3% | 1,521 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of California
Marin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marin County, California?
1 utility has service territory in Marin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is San Rafael, CA in?
San Rafael is in Marin County, California. About 59,410 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Novato, CA in?
Novato is in Marin County, California. About 51,947 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Mill Valley, CA in?
Mill Valley is in Marin County, California. About 13,799 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Marin County?
3 operating plants with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is Waste Mangement Redwood LFGTE (4 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Marin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sonoma County.
Is Marin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 110,071 jobs in 2025 against 116,240 in 2019 (-5.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,703 to 7,358.
Does Marin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marin County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.