Ada County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Boise City, Meridian and Eagle
Ada County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 13 data centers in Ada County, 76% of Idaho's total. Construction employs 23,741, up 41.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 2,818, up 67.4% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $94,458 a year. Ada County is home to Boise City, Meridian, Eagle and Kuna. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Meta Kuna Data Center Expansion Pause.
Cities and towns in Ada County
Ada County is home to Boise City, Meridian, Eagle and Kuna.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Avimor, Hidden Springs.
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 Ada County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 498,263 | 546,141 | ▲ 9.6% | 1st of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 252,953 | 295,234 | ▲ 16.7% | 12th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $51,969 | $73,786 | ▲ 42.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,830 | 23,741 | ▲ 41.1% | 16th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,683 | 2,818 | ▲ 67.4% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 312 | 634 | ▲ 103.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 627 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 400 MW | 48% of today's fleet | 1st of 3 by size |
400 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Blacks Creek Energy Center, LLC (solar), the largest pipeline among Idaho's counties. 400 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 295,234 jobs in 2025, up 16.7% from 2019. 627 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 828 MW of capacity, 46% of it solar, the 2nd largest fleet in Idaho. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. 546,141 people live here, up 9.6% since 2020, 1st of 44 Idaho counties by population. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Ada County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Ada County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +627 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Ada County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 525,751 | 11.76¢ | 27% |
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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 385 MW | 46% |
| Battery storage | 300 MW | 36% |
| Hydro | 140 MW | 17% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matrix Pleasant Valley | Pleasant Valley Solar, LLC | Solar | 200 MW | 2025 |
| Boise Bench BESS | Idaho Power Co | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2026 |
| Kuna BESS | Kuna BESS, LLC | Battery storage | 150 MW | 2025 |
| Pleasant Valley Solar 2 Project | PVS 2, LLC | Solar | 125 MW | 2026 |
| Lucky Peak Power Plant Project | Boise-Kuna Irrigation District | Hydro | 101 MW | 1988 |
| ID Solar | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 40 MW | 2016 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacks Creek Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 400 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Blacks Creek Energy Center, LLC |
The Ada County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 295,234 | $73,786 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 23,741 | $83,741 | 1.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,818 | $94,458 | 1.32 |
| Electric utilities | 991 | $67,443 | 1.24 |
| Data processing and hosting | 634 | $155,712 | 0.69 |
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 Ada County
13 data centers in Ada County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Kuna Data Center Expansion Pause | delayed | — |
Ada County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Ada County, Elmore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ada County | 546,141 | ▲ 16.7% | 828 MW | 400 MW | 13 | — |
| Boise County | 8,545 | ▲ 5.4% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Canyon County | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Elmore County | 29,465 | ▲ 5.2% | 928 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Gem County | 21,773 | ▲ 20.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Owyhee County | 12,661 | ▲ 8.5% | 269 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Ada County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ada County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Ada County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Boise City, ID in?
Boise City is in Ada County, Idaho. About 238,429 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Meridian, ID in?
Meridian is in Ada County, Idaho. About 142,988 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Eagle, ID in?
Eagle is in Ada County, Idaho. About 34,658 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Ada County?
13 operating plants with 828 MW of capacity. The largest is Matrix Pleasant Valley (200 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Ada County?
400 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 400 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Blacks Creek Energy Center, LLC.
Are there data centers in Ada County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 13 data centers in Ada County.
Is Ada County adding jobs?
Employers counted 295,234 jobs in 2025 against 252,953 in 2019 (+16.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 16,830 to 23,741.
Does Ada County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ada County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.