Franklin County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Preston and Franklin
No data center or power plant project is on record in Franklin County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 357, up 57.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Franklin County is home to Preston, Franklin, Weston and Dayton. Employers here counted 4,167 jobs in 2025, up 15.7% from 2019. Next door, Bear Lake County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Preston, Franklin, Weston and Dayton.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,284 | 15,889 | ▲ 11.2% | 22nd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,602 | 4,167 | ▲ 15.7% | 14th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,239 | $47,366 | ▲ 51.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 227 | 357 | ▲ 57.3% | 10th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 3.2% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
15,889 people live here, up 11.2% since 2020. Its power plants have 33 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Franklin County. Its residential customers paid an average 12.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Franklin County
Utilities with service territory in Franklin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 74,170 | 12.11¢ | 16% |
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 | 33 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneida | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 30 MW | 1915 |
| Mink Creek Hydro | Mink Creek Hydro Entity | Hydro | 3 MW | 1986 |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,167 | $47,366 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 357 | $69,789 | 1.62 |
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 Franklin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Franklin County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Bannock County, Cache County.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Franklin County, Bear Lake 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 15,889 | ▲ 15.7% | 33 MW | — | — | — |
| Bannock County | 91,591 | ▲ 10.8% | 21 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Bear Lake County | 6,727 | ▲ 18.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Cache County UT | 145,000 | ▲ 11.2% | 39 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Caribou County | 7,252 | ▼ 1.3% | 49 MW | — | — | — |
| Oneida County | 5,085 | ▲ 33.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Rich County UT | 2,687 | ▲ 20.4% | 58 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Franklin County?
2 operating plants with 33 MW of capacity. The largest is Oneida (30 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bear Lake County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,167 jobs in 2025 against 3,602 in 2019 (+15.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 227 to 357.
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.