Boise County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Banks and Garden Valley
No data center or power plant project is on record in Boise County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Boise County is home to Horseshoe Bend and Idaho City. Next door, Ada County has 13 data centers and 400 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 1,831 jobs in 2025, up 5.4% from 2019. 8,545 people live here, up 11.5% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Boise County
Boise County is home to Horseshoe Bend and Idaho City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Banks, Garden Valley, Lowman, Robie Creek.
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 Boise County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,662 | 8,545 | ▲ 11.5% | 32nd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,737 | 1,831 | ▲ 5.4% | 35th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,049 | $51,122 | ▲ 82.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 162 | 96 | ▼ 40.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 9 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Boise County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Boise County
Utilities with service territory in Boise 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 9 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horseshoe Bend Hydroelectric Co | Horseshoe Bend Hydroelectric Co | Hydro | 9 MW | 1995 |
The Boise County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,831 | $51,122 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 96 | $51,649 | 0.99 |
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 Boise County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Boise County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Boise County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Boise County, Ada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boise County | 8,545 | ▲ 5.4% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Ada County | 546,141 | ▲ 16.7% | 828 MW | 400 MW | 13 | — |
| Custer County | 4,636 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Elmore County | 29,465 | ▲ 5.2% | 928 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Gem County | 21,773 | ▲ 20.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Valley County | 12,831 | ▲ 16.2% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Boise County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Boise County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Boise 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 power plants are in Boise County?
1 operating plant with 9 MW of capacity. The largest is Horseshoe Bend Hydroelectric Co (9 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Boise County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Boise County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ada County.
Is Boise County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,831 jobs in 2025 against 1,737 in 2019 (+5.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 162 to 96.
Does Boise County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Boise County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.