Clearwater County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Orofino
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clearwater County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 157, up 55.4% since 2019. Clearwater County is home to Orofino and Pierce. Next door, Missoula County, Montana, has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 2,758 jobs in 2025, up 6.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 466 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro, the 7th largest fleet in Idaho.
Cities and towns in Clearwater County
Clearwater County is home to Orofino and Pierce.
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 Clearwater County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,758 | 9,118 | ▲ 4.1% | 31st of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,594 | 2,758 | ▲ 6.3% | 33rd of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,537 | $51,804 | ▲ 34.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 101 | 157 | ▲ 55.4% | 11th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.4% | 5.6% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 6.4% in 2019. Avista Corp is the largest utility serving Clearwater County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. 9,118 people live here, up 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Clearwater County
Utilities with service territory in Clearwater County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avista Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 128,226 | 11.62¢ | 30% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
| Clearwater Power Company | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 466 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dworshak | USACE Northwestern Division | Hydro | 465 MW | 1974 |
| Ford Hydro LP | Ford Hydro Ltd Partnership | Hydro | 1 MW | 1988 |
The Clearwater County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,758 | $51,804 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 157 | $53,321 | 1.07 |
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 Clearwater County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clearwater County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Missoula County.
Clearwater County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Clearwater County, Missoula 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater County | 9,118 | ▲ 6.3% | 466 MW | — | — | — |
| Idaho County | 17,874 | ▲ 4.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Latah County | 41,842 | ▲ 8.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 3,704 | ▼ 8.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Mineral County MT | 5,185 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Missoula County MT | 123,513 | ▲ 7.3% | 6 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Nez Perce County | 42,905 | ▲ 3.9% | 114 MW | — | — | — |
| Shoshone County | 14,130 | ▲ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Clearwater County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clearwater County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Clearwater County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Avista Corp, Bonneville Power Administration, Clearwater Power Company. The largest, Avista Corp, charged residential customers 11.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clearwater County?
2 operating plants with 466 MW of capacity. The largest is Dworshak (465 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Clearwater County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clearwater County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Missoula County.
Is Clearwater County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,758 jobs in 2025 against 2,594 in 2019 (+6.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 101 to 157.
Does Clearwater County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clearwater County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.