Elbert County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elizabeth
No data center or power plant project is on record in Elbert County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 1,210, up 50.3% since 2019, and construction is 4.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 5,138 jobs in 2025, up 34.4% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 64 Colorado counties). Elbert County is home to Elizabeth, Kiowa and Simla. 125 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar). 125 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Elbert County
Elbert County is home to Elizabeth, Kiowa and Simla.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Elbert, Matheson, Ponderosa Park.
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 Elbert County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,211 | 30,534 | ▲ 16.5% | 20th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,822 | 5,138 | ▲ 34.4% | 1st of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,088 | $64,264 | ▲ 42.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 805 | 1,210 | ▲ 50.3% | 3rd of 38 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8 | 20 | ▲ 150.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 125 MW | 21% of today's fleet | 13th of 18 by size |
Next door, El Paso County has 10 data centers and 580 MW of planned generation. 30,534 people live here, up 16.5% since 2020. Its power plants have 600 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Electrical contractors employ 124, at an average $56,940 a year. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Elbert County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Elbert County
Utilities with service territory in Elbert 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 600 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Creek Wind | Public Service Co of Colorado | Wind | 600 MW | 2018 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundance (CO) | Solar Photovoltaic | 75 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Sundance (CO) | Batteries | 50 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
The Elbert County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,138 | $64,264 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,210 | $72,785 | 4.44 |
| Electrical contractors | 124 | $56,940 | 3.35 |
| Data processing and hosting | 20 | $91,098 | 1.25 |
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 Elbert County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Elbert County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Elbert County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Elbert 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbert County | 30,534 | ▲ 34.4% | 600 MW | 125 MW | — | — |
| Arapahoe County | 673,820 | ▲ 1.8% | 336 MW | — | 17 | — |
| Douglas County | 399,396 | ▲ 14.3% | 4 MW | 8 MW | 8 | — |
| El Paso County | 757,040 | ▲ 8.7% | 1,987 MW | 580 MW | 10 | — |
| Lincoln County | 5,645 | ▼ 1.1% | 1,007 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Elbert County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Elbert County, Colorado?
3 utilities have service territory in Elbert 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 power plants are in Elbert County?
1 operating plant with 600 MW of capacity. The largest is Rush Creek Wind (600 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Elbert County?
125 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 125 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cypress Creek Renewables.
Are there data centers in Elbert County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Elbert County. The nearest activity on record is next door in El Paso County.
Is Elbert County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,138 jobs in 2025 against 3,822 in 2019 (+34.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 805 to 1,210.
Does Elbert County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Elbert County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.