Jackson County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Medford, Ashland and Central Point
The data center boom is not abstract in Jackson County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Jackson County. Jackson County is home to Medford, Ashland, Central Point and Eagle Point. Electrical contractors employ 850, up 54.0% since 2019 against up 12.8% statewide, at an average $85,219 a year. Construction employs 5,219, up 11.1% since 2019. Unemployment was 5.9% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Medford, Ashland, Central Point and Eagle Point.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Foots Creek, Prospect, Ruch, Trail, White City, Wimer.
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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 223,753 | 221,795 | ▼ 0.9% | 6th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 90,372 | 91,966 | ▲ 1.8% | 17th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,356 | $60,060 | ▲ 35.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,697 | 5,219 | ▲ 11.1% | 9th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 552 | 850 | ▲ 54.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 5.9% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 14 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — |
3 MW has retired here since 2019, including Dry Creek LFG to Energy Project (other technologies, 3 MW, 2026). 14 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 185 MW of capacity, 61% of it hydro. Employers here counted 91,966 jobs in 2025, up 1.8% from 2019. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Jackson County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 221,795 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020, 6th of 36 Oregon counties by population.
Who powers Jackson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +10 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jackson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| City of Ashland - (OR) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 13
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 113 MW | 61% |
| Other technologies | 48 MW | 26% |
| Solar | 24 MW | 13% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Creek | USACE Northwestern Division | Hydro | 49 MW | 1977 |
| Biomass One LP | Biomass One LP | Other technologies | 40 MW | 1985 |
| Prospect 2 | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 32 MW | 1928 |
| Green Springs | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 17 MW | 1960 |
| OR Solar 2, LLC | OR Solar 2, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2020 |
| Eagle Point Solar | SunStrong Management | Solar | 10 MW | 2017 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Creek LFG to Energy Project | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2026 |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 91,966 | $60,060 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,219 | $69,540 | 1.07 |
| Electrical contractors | 850 | $85,219 | 1.28 |
| Electric utilities | 226 | $136,393 | 0.91 |
| Data processing and hosting | 48 | $180,865 | 0.17 |
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 Jackson County
3 data centers in Jackson County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Jackson County, Klamath 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 221,795 | ▲ 1.8% | 185 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Douglas County | 111,951 | ▼ 1.5% | 268 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Josephine County | 87,867 | ▲ 7.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Klamath County | 70,274 | ▲ 2.7% | 762 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Siskiyou County CA | 42,013 | ▼ 0.4% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Oregon?
2 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, City of Ashland - (OR). The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Medford, OR in?
Medford is in Jackson County, Oregon. About 86,494 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ashland, OR in?
Ashland is in Jackson County, Oregon. About 20,889 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Central Point, OR in?
Central Point is in Jackson County, Oregon. About 19,139 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jackson County?
13 operating plants with 185 MW of capacity. The largest is Lost Creek (49 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Jackson County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 91,966 jobs in 2025 against 90,372 in 2019 (+1.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,697 to 5,219.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.