Blaine County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hailey, Ketchum and Bellevue
Blaine 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 2,461, up 35.5% since 2019, and construction is 3.2 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Blaine County is home to Hailey, Ketchum, Bellevue and Sun Valley. Next door, Elmore County has 200 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 14,438 jobs in 2025, up 11.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Blaine County
Blaine County is home to Hailey, Ketchum, Bellevue and Sun Valley.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gannett.
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 Blaine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,341 | 25,517 | ▲ 4.8% | 17th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,919 | 14,438 | ▲ 11.8% | 19th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,723 | $62,702 | ▲ 43.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,816 | 2,461 | ▲ 35.5% | 21st of 33 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5 | 38 | ▲ 660.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 2.6% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Blaine 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. 25,517 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Who powers Blaine County
Utilities with service territory in Blaine 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% |
| Salmon River Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,383 | 9.00¢ | 21% |
| Lost River Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Dam Hydroelectric Project | Wood Hydro, LLC | Hydro | 9 MW | 1989 |
| Little Wood Hydro Project | Littlewood Irrigation District | Hydro | 3 MW | 1985 |
The Blaine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 14,438 | $62,702 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,461 | $65,950 | 3.22 |
| Data processing and hosting | 38 | $126,340 | 0.85 |
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 Blaine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Blaine County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Blaine County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Blaine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine County | 25,517 | ▲ 11.8% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Butte County | 2,783 | ▲ 23.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Camas County | 1,316 | ▲ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Cassia County | 26,397 | ▲ 8.2% | 132 MW | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 4,636 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Elmore County | 29,465 | ▲ 5.2% | 928 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 5,603 | ▲ 1.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Minidoka County | 22,911 | ▲ 12.3% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Power County | 8,246 | ▲ 17.3% | 257 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Blaine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Blaine County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Blaine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, Salmon River Electric Coop Inc, Lost River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hailey, ID in?
Hailey is in Blaine County, Idaho. About 10,053 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Blaine County?
2 operating plants with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Magic Dam Hydroelectric Project (9 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Blaine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Blaine County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Elmore County.
Is Blaine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 14,438 jobs in 2025 against 12,919 in 2019 (+11.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,816 to 2,461.
Does Blaine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Blaine County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.