Park County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Guffey and Hartsel
No data center or power plant project is on record in Park County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Park County is home to Fairplay. Employers here counted 3,117 jobs in 2025, up 23.3% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 64 Colorado counties). Construction employs 276, down 9.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Next door, Douglas County has 8 data centers.
Cities and towns in Park County
Park County is home to Fairplay.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Guffey, Hartsel.
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 Park County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,425 | 18,314 | ▲ 5.1% | 27th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,528 | 3,117 | ▲ 23.3% | 4th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,680 | $58,198 | ▲ 43.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 304 | 276 | ▼ 9.2% | 31st of 38 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.6% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Park County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 18,314 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Park County
Utilities with service territory in Park 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Fork Hydro Plant | Denver City & County of - (CO) | Hydro | 6 MW | 1988 |
The Park County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,117 | $58,198 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 276 | $62,570 | 1.67 |
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 Park County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Park County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Jefferson County.
Park County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Park County, Douglas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park County | 18,314 | ▲ 23.3% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Chaffee County | 20,831 | ▲ 13.2% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Clear Creek County | 8,994 | ▲ 5.6% | 301 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 399,396 | ▲ 14.3% | 4 MW | 8 MW | 8 | — |
| Fremont County | 50,039 | ▲ 6.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 580,451 | ▲ 1.7% | 277 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Lake County | 7,552 | ▲ 22.0% | 202 MW | — | — | — |
| Summit County | 31,517 | ▲ 1.2% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Teller County | 24,756 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Park County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Park County, Colorado?
2 utilities have service territory in Park County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, CORE Electric Cooperative. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Park County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is North Fork Hydro Plant (6 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Park County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Park County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Douglas County.
Is Park County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,117 jobs in 2025 against 2,528 in 2019 (+23.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 304 to 276.
Does Park County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Park County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.