Bannock County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pocatello and Chubbuck
Bannock County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Bannock County is home to Pocatello, Chubbuck, Inkom and McCammon. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through January 26, 2027”. 2 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Lex Developments Pocatello Data Center ($2.6B). Employers here counted 38,273 jobs in 2025, up 10.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bannock County
Bannock County is home to Pocatello, Chubbuck, Inkom and McCammon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Hall, Tyhee.
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 Bannock County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 87,294 | 91,591 | ▲ 4.9% | 6th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34,542 | 38,273 | ▲ 10.8% | 22nd of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,816 | $50,030 | ▲ 32.3% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15 | 7 | ▼ 53.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.1% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies. Its power plants have 21 MW of capacity, 92% of it other technologies. Electrical contractors employ 235, at an average $53,174 a year. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Bannock County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. 91,591 people live here, up 4.9% since 2020, 6th of 44 Idaho counties by population.
Who powers Bannock County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bannock 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% |
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 74,170 | 12.11¢ | 16% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 19 MW | 92% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 8% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplot Leasing Don Plant | Simplot Leasing Corp | Other technologies | 16 MW | 1986 |
| Bannock County LFG to Energy | Bannock County Landfill - (ID) | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2014 |
| Marsh Valley Development | Marsh Valley Development Inc | Hydro | 2 MW | 1993 |
The Bannock County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 38,273 | $50,030 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 235 | $53,174 | 0.85 |
| Electric utilities | 107 | $63,309 | 1.03 |
| Data processing and hosting | 7 | $80,006 | 0.06 |
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 Bannock County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through January 26, 2027 | In force | 2026-07 |
Delay Watchlist 2
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lex Developments Pocatello Data Center ($2.6B) | under appeal | — | ||
| Hoku site data center | denied | — |
Bannock County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Bannock County, Power 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannock County | 91,591 | ▲ 10.8% | 21 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Caribou County | 7,252 | ▼ 1.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Franklin County | 15,889 | ▲ 15.7% | 33 MW | — | — | — |
| Oneida County | 5,085 | ▲ 33.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Power County | 8,246 | ▲ 17.3% | 257 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Bannock County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bannock County, Idaho?
2 utilities have service territory in Bannock County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, PacifiCorp. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Pocatello, ID in?
Pocatello is in Bannock County, Idaho. About 58,771 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Chubbuck, ID in?
Chubbuck is in Bannock County, Idaho. About 16,823 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bannock County?
3 operating plants with 21 MW of capacity. The largest is Simplot Leasing Don Plant (16 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Bannock County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bannock County.
Is Bannock County adding jobs?
Employers counted 38,273 jobs in 2025 against 34,542 in 2019 (+10.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bannock County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Bannock County, 1 in force.