Butte County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Butte 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. Butte County is home to Arco. Employers here counted 10,275 jobs in 2025, up 23.1% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 44 Idaho counties). Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Butte County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. 2,783 people live here, up 7.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Butte County
Butte County is home to Arco.
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 Butte County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,581 | 2,783 | ▲ 7.8% | 42nd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,348 | 10,275 | ▲ 23.1% | 4th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $94,977 | $119,545 | ▲ 25.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Who powers Butte County
Utilities with service territory in Butte County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 74,170 | 12.11¢ | 16% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Creek Project | Dry Creek LLC | Hydro | 4 MW | 1987 |
The Butte County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,275 | $119,545 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 250 | $100,316 | 0.46 |
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 Butte County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Butte County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Butte County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Butte County, Bingham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte County | 2,783 | ▲ 23.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 25,517 | ▲ 11.8% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Clark County | 783 | ▼ 10.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 4,636 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 35,297 | ▲ 18.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Lemhi County | 8,474 | ▲ 8.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Butte County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Butte County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Butte County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Bonneville Power Administration, Lost River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Butte County?
1 operating plant with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Dry Creek Project (4 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Butte County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Butte County.
Is Butte County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,275 jobs in 2025 against 8,348 in 2019 (+23.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Butte County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Butte County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.