Trinity County, California: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Burnt Ranch and Coffee Creek
Trinity 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. Trinity County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Burnt Ranch, Coffee Creek, Douglas City, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Next door, Mendocino County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 2,894 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 153 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is the largest utility serving Trinity 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 Trinity County
Trinity County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Burnt Ranch, Coffee Creek, Douglas City, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Burnt Ranch, Coffee Creek, Douglas City, Hayfork, Hyampom, Junction City, Lewiston, Mad River, Post Mountain, Ruth, Salyer, Trinity Center, Trinity Village, Weaverville.
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 Trinity County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in California |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,099 | 15,720 | ▼ 2.4% | 54th of 58 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,775 | 2,894 | ▲ 4.3% | 23rd of 58 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,233 | $58,963 | ▲ 46.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 5.5% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. 15,720 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Trinity County
Utilities with service territory in Trinity 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% |
| Trinity Public Utilities Dist | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 48% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 153 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 140 MW | 1964 |
| Big Creek Water Works | Big Creek Water Works Ltd | Hydro | 5 MW | 1987 |
| Kekawaka Power House | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 5 MW | 1989 |
| Gosselin Hydro Plant | Humboldt Bay Mun Water Dist | Hydro | 2 MW | 1983 |
| Three Forks Water Power Project | Grizzly Mountain Ranch | Hydro | 1 MW | 1984 |
The Trinity County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,894 | $58,963 | 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 Trinity County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Trinity County. California has 48 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Humboldt County, Mendocino County.
Trinity County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Trinity County, Shasta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity County | 15,720 | ▲ 4.3% | 153 MW | — | — | — |
| Humboldt County | 131,647 | ▲ 2.5% | 234 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Mendocino County | 88,122 | ▼ 1.4% | 23 MW | 1 MW | 2 | 1 |
| Shasta County | 181,648 | ▲ 6.1% | 2,427 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Siskiyou County | 42,013 | ▼ 0.4% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Tehama County | 64,665 | ▲ 4.1% | 77 MW | — | — | — |
More of California
Trinity County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Trinity County, California?
3 utilities have service territory in Trinity County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Trinity Public Utilities Dist, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., charged residential customers 39.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Trinity County?
5 operating plants with 153 MW of capacity. The largest is Trinity (140 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Trinity County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Trinity County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mendocino County.
Is Trinity County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,894 jobs in 2025 against 2,775 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Trinity County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Trinity County. California has 48 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.