Clatsop County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Astoria, Seaside and Warrenton
Clatsop 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. Clatsop County is home to Astoria, Seaside, Warrenton and Gearhart. Next door, Washington County has 46 data centers and 200 MW of planned generation. 11 MW has retired here since 2019, including Alden Bailey Power Plant (natural gas, 11 MW, 2021). Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Its power plants have 30 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies.
Cities and towns in Clatsop County
Clatsop County is home to Astoria, Seaside, Warrenton and Gearhart.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Jeffers Gardens, Knappa, River Point, Svensen, Westport.
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 Clatsop County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,156 | 40,926 | ▼ 0.6% | 19th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 19,159 | 19,295 | ▲ 0.7% | 23rd of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,104 | $54,058 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 11 MW | — |
PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Clatsop County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. Employers here counted 19,295 jobs in 2025, up 0.7% from 2019. 40,926 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Clatsop County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −11 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clatsop County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| Tillamook Peoples Utility Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 20,133 | 11.82¢ | 26% |
| Clatskanie Peoples Util Dist | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 3,761 | 7.59¢ | 2% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
| West Oregon Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 30 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill | Georgia-Pacific Wauna LLC | Other technologies | 30 MW | 1996 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alden Bailey Power Plant | Natural gas | 11 MW | 2021 |
The Clatsop County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 19,295 | $54,058 | 1.00 |
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 Clatsop County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clatsop County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Washington County.
Clatsop County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Clatsop 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clatsop County | 40,926 | ▲ 0.7% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbia County | 54,091 | ▲ 4.2% | 1,319 MW | — | — | — |
| Tillamook County | 27,384 | ▲ 1.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Wahkiakum County WA | 4,873 | ▼ 4.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Washington County | 611,708 | ▼ 0.2% | 99 MW | 200 MW | 46 | 1 |
More of Oregon
Clatsop County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clatsop County, Oregon?
5 utilities have service territory in Clatsop County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Tillamook Peoples Utility Dist, Clatskanie Peoples Util Dist, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clatsop County?
1 operating plant with 30 MW of capacity. The largest is Georgia-Pacific Wauna Mill (30 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Clatsop County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clatsop County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Washington County.
Is Clatsop County adding jobs?
Employers counted 19,295 jobs in 2025 against 19,159 in 2019 (+0.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Clatsop County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clatsop County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.