Bingham County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Blackfoot, Shelley and Aberdeen
Bingham County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 1,378, up 39.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Bingham County is home to Blackfoot, Shelley, Aberdeen and Firth. Next door, Bonneville County has 359 MW of planned generation. 160 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bingham County
Bingham County is home to Blackfoot, Shelley, Aberdeen and Firth.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Hall, Groveland, Moreland, Riverside, Rockford.
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 Bingham County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 48,097 | 51,153 | ▲ 6.4% | 9th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,502 | 16,585 | ▲ 7.0% | 31st of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,723 | $48,665 | ▲ 32.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 985 | 1,378 | ▲ 39.9% | 17th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 160 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 16,585 jobs in 2025, up 7.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 160 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Electrical contractors employ 210, at an average $71,505 a year. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Bingham County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. 51,153 people live here, up 6.4% since 2020, 9th of 44 Idaho counties by population.
Who powers Bingham County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +160 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Bingham 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% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 160 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek Wind, LLC | Cedar Creek Wind, LLC | Wind | 160 MW | 2024 |
The Bingham County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,585 | $48,665 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,378 | $57,675 | 1.57 |
| Electrical contractors | 210 | $71,505 | 1.76 |
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 Bingham County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bingham County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bannock County.
Bingham County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Bingham County, Bonneville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Bannock County | 91,591 | ▲ 10.8% | 21 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Blaine County | 25,517 | ▲ 11.8% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Bonneville County | 135,771 | ▲ 18.7% | 611 MW | 359 MW | — | — |
| Butte County | 2,783 | ▲ 23.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Caribou County | 7,252 | ▼ 1.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 35,297 | ▲ 18.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Power County | 8,246 | ▲ 17.3% | 257 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Bingham County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bingham County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Bingham County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, PacifiCorp, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Blackfoot, ID in?
Blackfoot is in Bingham County, Idaho. About 13,361 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Bingham County?
1 operating plant with 160 MW of capacity. The largest is Cedar Creek Wind, LLC (160 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Bingham County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bingham County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bonneville County.
Is Bingham County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,585 jobs in 2025 against 15,502 in 2019 (+7.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 985 to 1,378.
Does Bingham County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bingham County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.