Costilla County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Garland and San Acacio
No data center or power plant project is on record in Costilla County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Costilla County is home to San Luis. Unemployment was 8.0% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. Next door, Las Animas County has 202 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 924 jobs in 2025, down 4.4% from 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Costilla County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Costilla County
Costilla County is home to San Luis.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Garland, San Acacio.
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 Costilla County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,499 | 3,679 | ▲ 5.1% | 55th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 967 | 924 | ▼ 4.4% | 61st of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,943 | $42,708 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 8.0% | ▲ 3.0pts | — |
3,679 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Costilla County
Utilities with service territory in Costilla 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% |
| San Isabel Electric Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,289 | 17.78¢ | 21% |
| San Luis Valley R E C, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,115 | 18.38¢ | 26% |
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 Costilla County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Costilla County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 924 | $42,708 | 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 Costilla County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Costilla County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Colfax County.
Costilla County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Costilla County, Las Animas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costilla County | 3,679 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Alamosa County | 16,688 | ▼ 2.1% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Colfax County NM | 12,184 | ▼ 6.6% | 44 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Conejos County | 7,529 | ▲ 7.9% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Huerfano County | 7,011 | ▲ 9.5% | 157 MW | — | — | — |
| Las Animas County | 14,391 | ▼ 7.6% | 179 MW | 202 MW | — | — |
| Taos County NM | 34,564 | ▲ 0.8% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Costilla County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Costilla County, Colorado?
3 utilities have service territory in Costilla County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, San Isabel Electric Assn, Inc, San Luis Valley R E C, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Costilla County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Costilla County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Las Animas County.
Is Costilla County adding jobs?
Employers counted 924 jobs in 2025 against 967 in 2019 (-4.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Costilla County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Costilla County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.