Hinsdale County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cathedral and Piedra
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hinsdale County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hinsdale County is home to Lake City. Employers here counted 302 jobs in 2025, up 10.6% from 2019. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Hinsdale County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. 753 people live here, down 4.6% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Hinsdale County
Hinsdale County is home to Lake City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cathedral, Piedra.
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 Hinsdale County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 789 | 753 | ▼ 4.6% | 64th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 273 | 302 | ▲ 10.6% | 11th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,644 | $39,325 | ▲ 24.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
Who powers Hinsdale County
Utilities with service territory in Hinsdale 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% |
| La Plata Electric Assn, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 39,931 | 16.71¢ | 29% |
| San Luis Valley R E C, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,115 | 18.38¢ | 26% |
| Gunnison County Elec Assn. | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Hinsdale County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hinsdale County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 302 | $39,325 | 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 Hinsdale County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hinsdale County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Archuleta County.
Hinsdale County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hinsdale County, Gunnison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinsdale County | 753 | ▲ 10.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Archuleta County | 14,306 | ▲ 14.4% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gunnison County | 17,439 | ▲ 8.3% | 86 MW | — | — | — |
| La Plata County | 56,898 | ▲ 4.5% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | 910 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Ouray County | 5,265 | ▲ 13.0% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Saguache County | 6,732 | ▼ 0.5% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| San Juan County | 813 | ▲ 28.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Hinsdale County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hinsdale County, Colorado?
4 utilities have service territory in Hinsdale County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, La Plata Electric Assn, Inc, San Luis Valley R E C, Inc, Gunnison County Elec Assn.. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hinsdale County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hinsdale County.
Is Hinsdale County adding jobs?
Employers counted 302 jobs in 2025 against 273 in 2019 (+10.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hinsdale County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hinsdale County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.