Clackamas County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oregon City, Lake Oswego and Happy Valley
Clackamas County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Clackamas County. Clackamas County is home to Oregon City, most of Lake Oswego (37,220 of its 39,722 residents), Happy Valley and West Linn. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed county moratorium on data centers”. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. 17 MW has retired here since 2019, including Faraday (hydro, 17 MW, 2019).
Cities and towns in Clackamas County
Clackamas County is home to Oregon City, most of Lake Oswego (37,220 of its 39,722 residents), Happy Valley and West Linn.
- Lake Oswego also extends into Multnomah County.
- Wilsonville also extends into Washington County.
- Tualatin also extends into Washington County.
- Portland also extends into Multnomah County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beavercreek, Boring, Damascus, Government Camp, Jennings Lodge, Mount Hood Villages, Mulino, Oak Grove, Oatfield, Rhododendron, Stafford.
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 Clackamas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 422,483 | 426,280 | ▲ 0.9% | 3rd of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 169,433 | 174,819 | ▲ 3.2% | 12th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,802 | $73,222 | ▲ 33.6% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,214 | 1,366 | ▲ 12.5% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 407 | 540 | ▲ 32.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 436 | 465 | ▲ 6.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 104 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 17 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 1,366, up 12.5% since 2019 against up 12.8% statewide, at an average $98,185 a year. 104 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 278 MW of capacity, 68% of it hydro. Employers here counted 174,819 jobs in 2025, up 3.2% from 2019. Portland General Electric Co is the largest utility serving Clackamas County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 18.19¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 426,280 people live here, up 0.9% since 2020, 3rd of 36 Oregon counties by population.
Who powers Clackamas County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +86 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clackamas County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland General Electric Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 828,857 | 18.19¢ | 33% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
| Canby Utility Board | — | — | — | — | — |
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 37
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 188 MW | 68% |
| Solar | 89 MW | 32% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Grove | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 51 MW | 1924 |
| North Fork | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 41 MW | 1958 |
| Faraday | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 37 MW | 1958 |
| River Mill | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 19 MW | 1911 |
| Sullivan | Portland General Electric Co | Hydro | 15 MW | 1924 |
| Stone Creek | Eugene Water & Electric Board | Hydro | 12 MW | 1994 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faraday | Hydro | 17 MW | 2019 |
The Clackamas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 174,819 | $73,222 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,366 | $98,185 | 1.08 |
| Power and communication line construction | 540 | $130,149 | 1.91 |
| Data processing and hosting | 465 | $194,105 | 0.86 |
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 Clackamas County
3 data centers in Clackamas County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed county moratorium on data centers | Proposed | 2026-10 |
Clackamas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clackamas County, Wasco 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clackamas County | 426,280 | ▲ 3.2% | 278 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Hood River County | 23,720 | ▼ 3.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 355,777 | ▲ 10.7% | 177 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Multnomah County | 795,391 | ▼ 4.9% | 1,588 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Wasco County | 26,310 | ▼ 2.0% | 2,038 MW | 2,103 MW | 4 | — |
| Washington County | 611,708 | ▼ 0.2% | 99 MW | 200 MW | 46 | 1 |
| Yamhill County | 110,024 | ▲ 8.0% | 36 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Clackamas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clackamas County, Oregon?
3 utilities have service territory in Clackamas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Portland General Electric Co, Bonneville Power Administration, Canby Utility Board. The largest, Portland General Electric Co, charged residential customers 18.19¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Oregon City, OR in?
Oregon City is in Clackamas County, Oregon. About 38,175 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Lake Oswego, OR in?
Most of Lake Oswego is in Clackamas County: 37,220 of its 39,722 residents, or 94%. The rest of the city lies in Multnomah County.
What county is Happy Valley, OR in?
Happy Valley is in Clackamas County, Oregon. About 28,916 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Clackamas County?
37 operating plants with 278 MW of capacity. The largest is Oak Grove (51 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Clackamas County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Clackamas County.
Is Clackamas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 174,819 jobs in 2025 against 169,433 in 2019 (+3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Clackamas County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Clackamas County, 0 in force.