Canyon County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Nampa, Caldwell and Middleton
The build-out shows up in Canyon County as work for the electrical trades. Construction employs 11,921, up 59.4% since 2019, and construction is 2.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 1,222, up 78.4% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $81,192 a year. Canyon County is home to Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton and Parma. Employers here counted 90,221 jobs in 2025, up 26.0% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 44 Idaho counties). Next door, Ada County has 13 data centers and 400 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Canyon County
Canyon County is home to Nampa, Caldwell, Middleton and Parma.
- Star also extends into Ada County.
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 Canyon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 233,001 | 275,123 | ▲ 18.1% | 2nd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 71,576 | 90,221 | ▲ 26.0% | 3rd of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,898 | $54,271 | ▲ 43.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,478 | 11,921 | ▲ 59.4% | 9th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 685 | 1,222 | ▲ 78.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 84 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
275,123 people live here, up 18.1% since 2020, 2nd of 44 Idaho counties by population. 84 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 93 MW of capacity, 90% of it battery storage. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Canyon County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Canyon County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +84 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Canyon 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Battery storage | 84 MW | 90% |
| Natural gas | 8 MW | 9% |
| Hydro | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Valley Battery Storage | Idaho Power Co | Battery storage | 82 MW | 2025 |
| Amalgamated Sugar LLC Nampa | Amalgamated Sugar Co-Nampa | Natural gas | 8 MW | 1948 |
| Melba BESS | Idaho Power Co | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Fargo Drop | Boise Project Board of Control | Hydro | 1 MW | 2013 |
The Canyon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 90,221 | $54,271 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11,921 | $63,880 | 2.49 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,222 | $81,192 | 1.88 |
| Power and communication line construction | 266 | $95,473 | 1.83 |
| Electric utilities | 121 | $59,647 | 0.50 |
| Data processing and hosting | 40 | $162,710 | 0.14 |
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 Canyon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Canyon County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Canyon County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Canyon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon County | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Ada County | 546,141 | ▲ 16.7% | 828 MW | 400 MW | 13 | — |
| Gem County | 21,773 | ▲ 20.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Malheur County OR | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Owyhee County | 12,661 | ▲ 8.5% | 269 MW | — | — | — |
| Payette County | 27,824 | ▲ 11.9% | 318 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Canyon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Canyon County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Canyon 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 county is Nampa, ID in?
Nampa is in Canyon County, Idaho. About 120,384 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Caldwell, ID in?
Caldwell is in Canyon County, Idaho. About 76,629 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Middleton, ID in?
Middleton is in Canyon County, Idaho. About 12,600 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Canyon County?
4 operating plants with 93 MW of capacity. The largest is Happy Valley Battery Storage (82 MW, battery storage).
Are there data centers in Canyon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Canyon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ada County.
Is Canyon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 90,221 jobs in 2025 against 71,576 in 2019 (+26.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,478 to 11,921.
Does Canyon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Canyon County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.