Kootenai County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Hayden
The data center boom is not abstract in Kootenai County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Kootenai County, 12% of Idaho's total. Electrical contractors employ 677, up 66.7% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $66,271 a year. Kootenai County is home to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden and Rathdrum. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Kootenai County data center moratorium (failed)”. Construction employs 7,061, up 28.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy.
Cities and towns in Kootenai County
Kootenai County is home to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Hayden and Rathdrum.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Conkling Park, Rockford Bay.
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 Kootenai County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 172,797 | 191,864 | ▲ 11.0% | 3rd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 64,072 | 71,925 | ▲ 12.3% | 17th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,909 | $59,140 | ▲ 44.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,486 | 7,061 | ▲ 28.7% | 25th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 406 | 677 | ▲ 66.7% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 228 | 285 | ▲ 25.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 71,925 jobs in 2025, up 12.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 486 MW of capacity, 96% of it natural gas, the 6th largest fleet in Idaho. 191,864 people live here, up 11.0% since 2020, 3rd of 44 Idaho counties by population. Avista Corp is the largest utility serving Kootenai County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.62¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Who powers Kootenai County
Utilities with service territory in Kootenai County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avista Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 128,226 | 11.62¢ | 30% |
| Kootenai Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 30,378 | 12.21¢ | 24% |
| Northern Lights, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,511 | 11.49¢ | 16% |
| Inland Power & Light Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,115 | 8.92¢ | 11% |
| 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 468 MW | 96% |
| Hydro | 14 MW | 3% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rathdrum Power LLC | Rathdrum Power LLC | Natural gas | 302 MW | 2001 |
| Rathdrum | Avista Corp | Natural gas | 166 MW | 1994 |
| Post Falls | Avista Corp | Hydro | 14 MW | 1906 |
| Fighting Creek LFGTE Plant | Kootenai Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2012 |
The Kootenai County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 71,925 | $59,140 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,061 | $67,772 | 1.85 |
| Electrical contractors | 677 | $66,271 | 1.31 |
| Electric utilities | 285 | $127,176 | 1.46 |
| Data processing and hosting | 52 | $162,299 | 0.23 |
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 Kootenai County
2 data centers in Kootenai County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kootenai County data center moratorium (failed) | Failed / vetoed | 2025-03 |
Kootenai County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Kootenai County, Spokane 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kootenai County | 191,864 | ▲ 12.3% | 486 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Benewah County | 10,508 | ▼ 1.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Bonner County | 54,420 | ▲ 11.5% | 307 MW | — | — | — |
| Shoshone County | 14,130 | ▲ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Spokane County WA | 558,344 | ▲ 6.7% | 192 MW | — | 7 | 1 |
More of Idaho
Kootenai County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kootenai County, Idaho?
5 utilities have service territory in Kootenai County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Avista Corp, Kootenai Electric Cooperative, Northern Lights, Inc, Inland Power & Light Company. The largest, Avista Corp, charged residential customers 11.62¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Coeur d'Alene, ID in?
Coeur d'Alene is in Kootenai County, Idaho. About 58,179 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Post Falls, ID in?
Post Falls is in Kootenai County, Idaho. About 46,715 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Hayden, ID in?
Hayden is in Kootenai County, Idaho. About 17,363 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Kootenai County?
4 operating plants with 486 MW of capacity. The largest is Rathdrum Power LLC (302 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Kootenai County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Kootenai County.
Is Kootenai County adding jobs?
Employers counted 71,925 jobs in 2025 against 64,072 in 2019 (+12.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,486 to 7,061.
Does Kootenai County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Kootenai County, 0 in force.