Lemhi County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Salmon
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lemhi County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lemhi County is home to Salmon. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Next door, Beaverhead County, Montana, has 400 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 205, up 9.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,789 jobs in 2025, up 8.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Lemhi County
Lemhi County is home to Salmon.
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 Lemhi County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,955 | 8,474 | ▲ 6.5% | 33rd of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,566 | 2,789 | ▲ 8.7% | 25th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,294 | $51,631 | ▲ 42.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 187 | 205 | ▲ 9.6% | 29th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 3.2% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Lemhi 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. 8,474 people live here, up 6.5% since 2020.
Who powers Lemhi County
Utilities with service territory in Lemhi 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% |
| Salmon River Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 2,383 | 9.00¢ | 21% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon Diesel | Idaho Power Co | Petroleum | 5 MW | 1967 |
The Lemhi County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,789 | $51,631 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 205 | $55,215 | 1.39 |
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 Lemhi County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lemhi County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Lemhi County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lemhi County, Beaverhead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemhi County | 8,474 | ▲ 8.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaverhead County MT | 10,043 | ▲ 3.2% | 80 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Butte County | 2,783 | ▲ 23.1% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Clark County | 783 | ▼ 10.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 4,636 | ▲ 5.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Idaho County | 17,874 | ▲ 4.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Ravalli County MT | 48,582 | ▲ 13.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Valley County | 12,831 | ▲ 16.2% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Lemhi County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lemhi County, Idaho?
2 utilities have service territory in Lemhi County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co, Salmon River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lemhi County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Salmon Diesel (5 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Lemhi County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lemhi County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Beaverhead County.
Is Lemhi County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,789 jobs in 2025 against 2,566 in 2019 (+8.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 187 to 205.
Does Lemhi County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lemhi County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.