Yuma County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Yuma and Wray
No data center or power plant project is on record in Yuma County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 140, down 70.3% since 2019. Yuma County is home to Yuma and Wray. Next door, Kit Carson County has 753 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 1.6% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 23, up 9.5% since 2019 against up 9.0% statewide, at an average $57,487 a year.
Cities and towns in Yuma County
Yuma County is home to Yuma and Wray.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Idalia, Joes, Kirk, Laird, Vernon.
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 Yuma County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,975 | 9,896 | ▼ 0.8% | 38th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,263 | 4,047 | ▼ 5.1% | 62nd of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,592 | $50,819 | ▲ 25.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 471 | 140 | ▼ 70.3% | 38th of 38 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21 | 23 | ▲ 9.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.6% | 2.7% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 4,047 jobs in 2025, down 5.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Yuma County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 9,896 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Yuma County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Yuma 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% |
| Highline Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,047 | 14.12¢ | 14% |
| Y-W Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,876 | 15.64¢ | 42% |
| City of Wray | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Yuma - (CO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma Solar | SE Municipal Colorado, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2025 |
The Yuma County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,047 | $50,819 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 140 | $64,166 | 0.65 |
| Electrical contractors | 23 | $57,487 | 0.79 |
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 Yuma County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Yuma County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Dundy County, Logan County, Phillips County.
Yuma County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Yuma County, Kit Carson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma County | 9,896 | ▼ 5.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Chase County NE | 3,718 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Cheyenne County KS | 2,604 | ▼ 1.6% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Dundy County NE | 1,568 | ▲ 15.0% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kit Carson County | 7,069 | ▲ 6.4% | 1,436 MW | 753 MW | — | — |
| Logan County | 20,654 | ▼ 1.8% | 1,016 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Phillips County | 4,420 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Washington County | 4,732 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Yuma County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Yuma County, Colorado?
6 utilities have service territory in Yuma County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, Highline Electric Assn, Y-W Electric Assn Inc, City of Wray. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Yuma County?
1 operating plant with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Yuma Solar (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Yuma County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Yuma County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kit Carson County.
Is Yuma County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,047 jobs in 2025 against 4,263 in 2019 (-5.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 471 to 140.
Does Yuma County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Yuma County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.