Lincoln County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Shoshone
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lincoln County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 227, up 81.6% since 2019, and construction is 2.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Lincoln County is home to Shoshone. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. 5,603 people live here, up 9.1% since 2020. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Lincoln County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Cities and towns in Lincoln County
Lincoln County is home to Shoshone.
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 Lincoln County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,137 | 5,603 | ▲ 9.1% | 37th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,705 | 1,729 | ▲ 1.4% | 40th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,345 | $50,392 | ▲ 34.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 125 | 227 | ▲ 81.6% | 4th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 1,729 jobs in 2025, up 1.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019.
Who powers Lincoln County
Utilities with service territory in Lincoln 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% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dietrich Drop | Wood Hydro, LLC | Hydro | 5 MW | 1990 |
| AJMS, LLC | AJMS, LLC | Hydro | 1 MW | 2015 |
| GeoBon II | Koosh, Inc. | Hydro | 1 MW | 1986 |
The Lincoln County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,729 | $50,392 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 227 | $73,449 | 2.48 |
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 Lincoln County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lincoln County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Lincoln County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lincoln County, Gooding 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 5,603 | ▲ 1.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 25,517 | ▲ 11.8% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Camas County | 1,316 | ▲ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Gooding County | 16,446 | ▲ 9.0% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Jerome County | 26,362 | ▲ 17.7% | 53 MW | — | — | — |
| Minidoka County | 22,911 | ▲ 12.3% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Lincoln County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lincoln County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Lincoln County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Idaho Power Co. The largest, Idaho Power Co, charged residential customers 11.76¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lincoln County?
3 operating plants with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Dietrich Drop (5 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Lincoln County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lincoln County.
Is Lincoln County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,729 jobs in 2025 against 1,705 in 2019 (+1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 125 to 227.
Does Lincoln County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lincoln County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.