Payette County, Idaho: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Payette, Fruitland and New Plymouth
Payette 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. Construction employs 518, up 50.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Payette County is home to Payette, Fruitland and New Plymouth. Employers here counted 7,196 jobs in 2025, up 11.9% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 58, up 13.7% since 2019 against up 66.6% statewide, at an average $57,335 a year. Its power plants have 318 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 8th largest fleet in Idaho.
Cities and towns in Payette County
Payette County is home to Payette, Fruitland and New Plymouth.
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 Payette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Idaho |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,577 | 27,824 | ▲ 8.8% | 14th of 44 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,433 | 7,196 | ▲ 11.9% | 18th of 44 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,671 | $51,693 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 345 | 518 | ▲ 50.1% | 14th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 51 | 58 | ▲ 13.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
27,824 people live here, up 8.8% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Idaho Power Co is the largest utility serving Payette County. Its residential customers paid an average 11.76¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.00¢ median for Idaho utilities.
Who powers Payette County
Utilities with service territory in Payette 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 318 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langley Gulch Power Plant | Idaho Power Co | Natural gas | 318 MW | 2012 |
The Payette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,196 | $51,693 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 518 | $69,123 | 1.36 |
| Electrical contractors | 58 | $57,335 | 1.12 |
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 Payette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Payette County. Idaho has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Payette County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Payette County, Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payette County | 27,824 | ▲ 11.9% | 318 MW | — | — | — |
| Canyon County | 275,123 | ▲ 26.0% | 93 MW | — | — | — |
| Gem County | 21,773 | ▲ 20.2% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Malheur County OR | 32,261 | ▲ 4.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 11,583 | ▲ 7.1% | 678 MW | — | — | — |
More of Idaho
Payette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Payette County, Idaho?
1 utility has service territory in Payette 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 Payette County?
1 operating plant with 318 MW of capacity. The largest is Langley Gulch Power Plant (318 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Payette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Payette County.
Is Payette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,196 jobs in 2025 against 6,433 in 2019 (+11.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 345 to 518.
Does Payette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Payette County. Idaho has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.