Douglas County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Castle Rock and Parker, and the communities of Highlands Ranch
The data center boom is not abstract in Douglas County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Douglas County, 12% of Colorado's total. Douglas County is home to Castle Rock, Parker, Castle Pines and Lone Tree, plus the unincorporated community of Highlands Ranch. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Douglas County / Parker Flexential Data Center. 8 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Public Service Co of Colorado (solar). 8 MW of it is already under construction or built. Electrical contractors employ 1,329, up 36.9% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $83,921 a year.
Cities and towns in Douglas County
Douglas County is home to Castle Rock, Parker, Castle Pines and Lone Tree, plus the unincorporated community of Highlands Ranch.
- Aurora also extends into Arapahoe County, Adams County.
- Littleton also extends into Arapahoe County, Jefferson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Highlands Ranch, Acres Green, Castle Pines Village, Franktown, Grand View Estates, Louviers, Meridian, Meridian Village, Perry Park, Roxborough Park, Sedalia, Sierra Ridge, Stepping Stone, Sterling Ranch, Stonegate, The Pinery, Westcreek.
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 Douglas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 360,315 | 399,396 | ▲ 10.8% | 6th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 130,825 | 149,592 | ▲ 14.3% | 7th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $69,726 | $88,811 | ▲ 27.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,261 | 10,785 | ▲ 16.5% | 14th of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 971 | 1,329 | ▲ 36.9% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 402 | 892 | ▲ 121.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,139 | 931 | ▼ 18.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 4.2% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 8 MW | 195% of today's fleet | 14th of 18 by size |
Construction employs 10,785, up 16.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 149,592 jobs in 2025, up 14.3% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 64 Colorado counties). 399,396 people live here, up 10.8% since 2020, 6th of 64 Colorado counties by population. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Douglas County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Douglas County
Utilities with service territory in Douglas 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% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foothills Hydro Plant | Denver City & County-Foothills - (CO) | Hydro | 3 MW | 1985 |
| Strontia Springs Hydro Plant | Denver City & County of - (CO) | Hydro | 1 MW | 1986 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterton Solar I | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Public Service Co of Colorado |
| Waterton Solar II | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Public Service Co of Colorado |
The Douglas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 149,592 | $88,811 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 10,785 | $92,958 | 1.36 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,329 | $83,921 | 1.23 |
| Power and communication line construction | 892 | $113,750 | 3.69 |
| Data processing and hosting | 931 | $173,016 | 2.00 |
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 Douglas County
8 data centers in Douglas County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County / Parker Flexential Data Center | litigation active | — |
Douglas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Douglas County, El Paso 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 399,396 | ▲ 14.3% | 4 MW | 8 MW | 8 | — |
| Arapahoe County | 673,820 | ▲ 1.8% | 336 MW | — | 17 | — |
| El Paso County | 757,040 | ▲ 8.7% | 1,987 MW | 580 MW | 10 | — |
| Elbert County | 30,534 | ▲ 34.4% | 600 MW | 125 MW | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 580,451 | ▲ 1.7% | 277 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Park County | 18,314 | ▲ 23.3% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Teller County | 24,756 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Douglas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Douglas County, Colorado?
3 utilities have service territory in Douglas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, CORE Electric Cooperative, Mountain View Elec Assn, Inc. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Castle Rock, CO in?
Castle Rock is in Douglas County, Colorado. About 83,815 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Parker, CO in?
Parker is in Douglas County, Colorado. About 65,985 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Castle Pines, CO in?
Castle Pines is in Douglas County, Colorado. About 15,583 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Douglas County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Foothills Hydro Plant (3 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Douglas County?
8 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 8 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Public Service Co of Colorado.
Are there data centers in Douglas County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 8 data centers in Douglas County.
Is Douglas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 149,592 jobs in 2025 against 130,825 in 2019 (+14.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 9,261 to 10,785.
Does Douglas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Douglas County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.