Josephine County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grants Pass and Cave Junction
Josephine 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. Josephine County is home to Grants Pass and Cave Junction. Unemployment was 7.2% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Next door, Jackson County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 30,834 jobs in 2025, up 7.4% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 36 Oregon counties). 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Josephine County
Josephine County is home to Grants Pass and Cave Junction.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Kerby, Merlin, New Hope, O'Brien, Redwood, Selma, Takilma, Williams.
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 Josephine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 88,214 | 87,867 | ▼ 0.4% | 13th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 28,717 | 30,834 | ▲ 7.4% | 8th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,593 | $51,430 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 7.2% | ▲ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Josephine County. Its residential customers paid an average 14.02¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 87,867 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Josephine County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Josephine County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR - Chapman Creek - Greenkey CSG | Chapman Creek Solar, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2025 |
| Kelly Creek Solar | Kelly Creek Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
The Josephine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 30,834 | $51,430 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 22 | $141,302 | 0.23 |
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 Josephine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Josephine County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Josephine County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Josephine County, Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josephine County | 87,867 | ▲ 7.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Curry County | 22,621 | ▼ 1.6% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Del Norte County CA | 26,410 | ▲ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 111,951 | ▼ 1.5% | 268 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 221,795 | ▲ 1.8% | 185 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Siskiyou County CA | 42,013 | ▼ 0.4% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Josephine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Josephine County, Oregon?
1 utility has service territory in Josephine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 14.02¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Grants Pass, OR in?
Grants Pass is in Josephine County, Oregon. About 39,239 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Josephine County?
2 operating plants with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is OR - Chapman Creek - Greenkey CSG (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Josephine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Josephine County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jackson County.
Is Josephine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 30,834 jobs in 2025 against 28,717 in 2019 (+7.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Josephine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Josephine County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.