Gem County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Emmett
Gem 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. Gem County is home to Emmett. Construction employs 410, up 27.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.7 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 4,595 jobs in 2025, up 20.2% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 44 Idaho counties). Electrical contractors employ 32, up 39.1% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $51,879 a year. Next door, Ada County has 13 data centers and 400 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Gem County
Gem County is home to Emmett.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Letha.
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 Gem County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 19,275 | 21,773 | ▲ 13.0% | 19th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,824 | 4,595 | ▲ 20.2% | 6th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,853 | $46,323 | ▲ 32.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 322 | 410 | ▲ 27.3% | 26th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23 | 32 | ▲ 39.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
21,773 people live here, up 13.0% since 2020. Its power plants have 10 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Gem County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019.
Who powers Gem County
Utilities with service territory in Gem 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% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 10 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Canyon | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 10 MW | 1925 |
The Gem County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,595 | $46,323 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 410 | $53,169 | 1.68 |
| Electrical contractors | 32 | $51,879 | 0.97 |
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 Gem County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gem County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Gem County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Gem 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem County | 21,773 | ▲ 20.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Ada County | 546,141 | ▲ 16.7% | 828 MW | 400 MW | 13 | — |
| Adams County | 5,013 | ▲ 2.3% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Boise County | 8,545 | ▲ 5.4% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Canyon County | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Payette County | 27,824 | ▲ 11.9% | 318 MW | — | — | — |
| Valley County | 12,831 | ▲ 16.2% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 11,583 | ▲ 7.1% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Gem County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gem County, Idaho?
2 utilities have service territory in Gem County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gem County?
1 operating plant with 10 MW of capacity. The largest is Black Canyon (10 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Gem County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gem County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ada County.
Is Gem County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,595 jobs in 2025 against 3,824 in 2019 (+20.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 322 to 410.
Does Gem County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gem County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.