Denver County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Denver
Denver County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Denver County, 26% of Colorado's total. Denver County and the city of Denver share the same boundaries. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Construction employs 21,869, down 6.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 560,990 jobs in 2025, up 6.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Denver County
Denver County and the city of Denver share the same boundaries.
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 Denver County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 717,680 | 740,613 | ▲ 3.2% | 2nd of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 529,083 | 560,990 | ▲ 6.0% | 23rd of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $74,043 | $106,632 | ▲ 44.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23,389 | 21,869 | ▼ 6.5% | 29th of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,596 | 2,623 | ▲ 1.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,878 | 5,328 | ▲ 37.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 4.7% | ▲ 2.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 218 MW of capacity, 89% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 2,623, up 1.0% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $85,679 a year. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Denver County. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 740,613 people live here, up 3.2% since 2020, 2nd of 64 Colorado counties by population.
Who powers Denver County
Utilities with service territory in Denver 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% |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 194 MW | 89% |
| Other technologies | 15 MW | 7% |
| Solar | 7 MW | 3% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arapahoe Combustion Turbine Project | SWG Arapahoe, LLC | Natural gas | 194 MW | 2000 |
| Metro Wastewater Reclamation District | ENGIE Denver Metro LLC | Other technologies | 15 MW | 1985 |
| City & County of Denver at Denver Int'l | Denver Airport Solar, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2011 |
| Hillcrest Pump Station | Denver City & County of - (CO) | Hydro | 2 MW | 1993 |
| Denver Int Airport | MMA DAS Power | Solar | 2 MW | 2008 |
| Denver Intl Airport IV Solar | Denver Int'l Airport IV Solar | Solar | 2 MW | 2014 |
The Denver County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 560,990 | $106,632 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 21,869 | $99,917 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,623 | $85,679 | 0.65 |
| Power and communication line construction | 467 | $111,859 | 0.52 |
| Electric utilities | 2,311 | $148,141 | 1.52 |
| Data processing and hosting | 5,328 | $204,772 | 3.06 |
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 Denver County
17 data centers in Denver County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Denver County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Denver County, Arapahoe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver County | 740,613 | ▲ 6.0% | 218 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Adams County | 554,668 | ▲ 10.6% | 1,767 MW | 8 MW | 4 | — |
| Arapahoe County | 673,820 | ▲ 1.8% | 336 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Jefferson County | 580,451 | ▲ 1.7% | 277 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
More of Colorado
Denver County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Denver County, Colorado?
1 utility has service territory in Denver County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Denver, CO in?
Denver is in Denver County, Colorado. About 740,613 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Denver County?
6 operating plants with 218 MW of capacity. The largest is Arapahoe Combustion Turbine Project (194 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Denver County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 17 data centers in Denver County.
Is Denver County adding jobs?
Employers counted 560,990 jobs in 2025 against 529,083 in 2019 (+6.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 23,389 to 21,869.
Does Denver County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Denver County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.