Jefferson County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rigby
The build-out shows up in Jefferson County as work for the electrical trades. Electrical contractors employ 243, up 131.4% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $61,044 a year. Construction employs 1,337, up 61.9% since 2019, and construction is 3.0 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Jefferson County is home to Rigby, Menan, most of Ririe (641 of its 711 residents) and Roberts. Employers here counted 8,326 jobs in 2025, up 18.6% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 44 Idaho counties). Next door, Bonneville County has 359 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Jefferson County
Jefferson County is home to Rigby, Menan, most of Ririe (641 of its 711 residents) and Roberts.
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 Jefferson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,080 | 35,297 | ▲ 13.6% | 12th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,022 | 8,326 | ▲ 18.6% | 8th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,477 | $44,405 | ▲ 32.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 826 | 1,337 | ▲ 61.9% | 8th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 105 | 243 | ▲ 131.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
35,297 people live here, up 13.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Jefferson 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.
Who powers Jefferson County
Utilities with service territory in Jefferson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 74,170 | 12.11¢ | 16% |
| Fall River Rural Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,433 | 11.11¢ | 36% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Butte Digester, LLC | Kettle Butte Digester, LLC | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2011 |
The Jefferson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,326 | $44,405 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,337 | $55,129 | 3.03 |
| Electrical contractors | 243 | $61,044 | 4.05 |
| Data processing and hosting | 4 | $121,412 | 0.15 |
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 Jefferson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jefferson County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Jefferson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Jefferson County, Bonneville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 35,297 | ▲ 18.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Bingham County | 51,153 | ▲ 7.0% | 160 MW | — | — | — |
| Bonneville County | 135,771 | ▲ 18.7% | 611 MW | 359 MW | — | — |
| Butte County | 2,783 | ▲ 23.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Clark County | 783 | ▼ 10.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Fremont County | 14,208 | ▲ 21.2% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 55,172 | ▲ 12.9% | 6 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Idaho
Jefferson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jefferson County, Idaho?
3 utilities have service territory in Jefferson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Fall River Rural Elec Coop Inc, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Jefferson County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Kettle Butte Digester, LLC (2 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Jefferson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jefferson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bonneville County.
Is Jefferson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,326 jobs in 2025 against 7,022 in 2019 (+18.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 826 to 1,337.
Does Jefferson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jefferson County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.