Arapahoe County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aurora, Centennial and Littleton
Arapahoe County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Arapahoe County, 26% of Colorado's total. Arapahoe County is home to most of Aurora (344,658 of its 410,053 residents), Centennial, most of Littleton (43,419 of its 46,246 residents) and Englewood. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Construction employs 24,055, up 5.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 274 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas.
Cities and towns in Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County is home to most of Aurora (344,658 of its 410,053 residents), Centennial, most of Littleton (43,419 of its 46,246 residents) and Englewood.
- Aurora also extends into Adams County, Douglas County.
- Littleton also extends into Jefferson County, Douglas County.
- Bow Mar also extends into Jefferson County.
- Bennett also extends into Adams County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Aetna Estates, Brick Center, Byers, Cherry Creek, Columbine, Comanche Creek, Dove Valley, Four Square Mile, Holly Hills, Inverness, Peoria, Strasburg, Watkins.
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 Arapahoe County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 655,269 | 673,820 | ▲ 2.8% | 3rd of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 334,833 | 340,945 | ▲ 1.8% | 42nd of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $69,145 | $88,823 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22,861 | 24,055 | ▲ 5.2% | 23rd of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,505 | 3,946 | ▲ 12.6% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 593 | 870 | ▲ 46.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,039 | 2,624 | ▼ 13.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 4.6% | ▲ 2.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 274 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 3,946, up 12.6% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $82,641 a year. Its power plants have 336 MW of capacity, 52% of it solar. Employers here counted 340,945 jobs in 2025, up 1.8% from 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Arapahoe County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 673,820 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020, 3rd of 64 Colorado counties by population.
Who powers Arapahoe County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +274 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Arapahoe County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of Colorado | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,365,053 | 15.05¢ | 44% |
| CORE Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 165,067 | 15.04¢ | 32% |
| Mountain View Elec Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 59,789 | 15.52¢ | 20% |
| Morgan County Rural Elec Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,825 | 14.37¢ | 54% |
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 21
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 176 MW | 52% |
| Natural gas | 157 MW | 47% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Peak Power Station | Canyon Peak Power, LLC | Natural gas | 157 MW | 2026 |
| Hunter Solar, LLC (CO) | Hunter Solar, LLC | Solar | 75 MW | 2023 |
| Titan Solar | Titan Solar, LLC | Solar | 50 MW | 2018 |
| Pivot Solar 21 | Pivot Energy | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| USS Raptor Solar LLC | United States Solar Corporation | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| USS High Plains Solar LLC | United States Solar Corporation | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
The Arapahoe County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 340,945 | $88,823 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 24,055 | $96,377 | 1.33 |
| Electrical contractors | 3,946 | $82,641 | 1.60 |
| Power and communication line construction | 870 | $102,785 | 1.58 |
| Data processing and hosting | 2,624 | $200,979 | 2.48 |
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 Arapahoe County
17 data centers in Arapahoe County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Arapahoe County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Arapahoe County, Denver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arapahoe County | 673,820 | ▲ 1.8% | 336 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Adams County | 554,668 | ▲ 10.6% | 1,767 MW | 8 MW | 4 | — |
| Denver County | 740,613 | ▲ 6.0% | 218 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Douglas County | 399,396 | ▲ 14.3% | 4 MW | 8 MW | 8 | — |
| Elbert County | 30,534 | ▲ 34.4% | 600 MW | 125 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 580,451 | ▲ 1.7% | 277 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Lincoln County | 5,645 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,007 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 4,732 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Arapahoe County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Arapahoe County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Arapahoe County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, CORE Electric Cooperative, Mountain View Elec Assn, Inc, Morgan County Rural Elec Assn. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Aurora, CO in?
Most of Aurora is in Arapahoe County: 344,658 of its 410,053 residents, or 84%. The rest of the city lies in Adams County, Douglas County.
What county is Centennial, CO in?
Centennial is in Arapahoe County, Colorado. About 108,658 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Littleton, CO in?
Most of Littleton is in Arapahoe County: 43,419 of its 46,246 residents, or 94%. The rest of the city lies in Jefferson County, Douglas County.
What power plants are in Arapahoe County?
21 operating plants with 336 MW of capacity. The largest is Canyon Peak Power Station (157 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Arapahoe County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Arapahoe County.
Is Arapahoe County adding jobs?
Employers counted 340,945 jobs in 2025 against 334,833 in 2019 (+1.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 22,861 to 24,055.
Does Arapahoe County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Arapahoe County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.