Marion County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Salem, Keizer and Woodburn
The data center boom is not abstract in Marion County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Marion County. Marion County is home to most of Salem (151,399 of its 181,779 residents), Keizer, Woodburn and Silverton. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Verrus Data Center (Mill Creek Corporate Center). Electrical contractors employ 1,337, up 43.1% since 2019 against up 12.8% statewide, at an average $100,390 a year. Employers here counted 175,778 jobs in 2025, up 10.7% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 36 Oregon counties).
Cities and towns in Marion County
Marion County is home to most of Salem (151,399 of its 181,779 residents), Keizer, Woodburn and Silverton.
- Salem also extends into Polk County.
- Mill City also extends into Linn County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brooks, Butteville, Four Corners, Hayesville, Labish Village, Marion, Mehama.
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 Marion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 346,284 | 355,777 | ▲ 2.7% | 5th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 158,839 | 175,778 | ▲ 10.7% | 3rd of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,338 | $65,550 | ▲ 35.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,928 | 11,329 | ▲ 3.7% | 14th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 934 | 1,337 | ▲ 43.1% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 72 | 69 | ▼ 4.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 50 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 18 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Construction employs 11,329, up 3.7% since 2019. 18 MW has retired here since 2019, including Covanta Marion Inc (other technologies, 13 MW, 2024). 50 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 177 MW of capacity, 67% of it hydro. Portland General Electric Co is the largest utility serving Marion County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 18.19¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. 355,777 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020, 5th of 36 Oregon counties by population.
Who powers Marion County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +32 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Marion 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% |
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 547,235 | 14.02¢ | 47% |
| Consumers Power, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,751 | 13.01¢ | 25% |
| Salem Electric - (OR) | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,385 | 11.02¢ | 33% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
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 29
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 118 MW | 67% |
| Solar | 57 MW | 32% |
| Other technologies | 1 MW | 1% |
| Battery storage | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | USACE Northwestern Division | Hydro | 100 MW | 1953 |
| Big Cliff | USACE Northwestern Division | Hydro | 18 MW | 1954 |
| BristolSolar | Adapture Renewables, Inc. | Solar | 3 MW | 2021 |
| SulusSolar22 | Adapture Renewables, Inc. | Solar | 3 MW | 2021 |
| OR - Solops - SPI 18 - Belvedere | Belvedere Solar, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2024 |
| Williams Acres Solar | Neighborhood Power Corp. | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covanta Marion Inc | Other technologies | 13 MW | 2024 |
| Salem Smart Power Center | Battery storage | 5 MW | 2024 |
The Marion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 175,778 | $65,550 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 11,329 | $77,411 | 1.22 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,337 | $100,390 | 1.05 |
| Power and communication line construction | 589 | $110,492 | 2.07 |
| Data processing and hosting | 69 | $131,462 | 0.13 |
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 Marion County
2 data centers in Marion County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verrus Data Center (Mill Creek Corporate Center) | pending review | — |
Marion County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 355,777 | ▲ 10.7% | 177 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Clackamas County | 426,280 | ▲ 3.2% | 278 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 25,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 532 MW | 494 MW | — | — |
| Linn County | 132,843 | ▲ 1.1% | 245 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Polk County | 90,037 | ▲ 0.9% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
| Wasco County | 26,310 | ▼ 2.0% | 2,038 MW | 2,103 MW | 4 | — |
| Yamhill County | 110,024 | ▲ 8.0% | 36 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Marion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marion County, Oregon?
5 utilities have service territory in Marion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Portland General Electric Co, PacifiCorp, Consumers Power, Inc, Salem Electric - (OR). The largest, Portland General Electric Co, charged residential customers 18.19¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Salem, OR in?
Most of Salem is in Marion County: 151,399 of its 181,779 residents, or 83%. The rest of the city lies in Polk County.
What county is Keizer, OR in?
Keizer is in Marion County, Oregon. About 39,140 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Woodburn, OR in?
Woodburn is in Marion County, Oregon. About 31,948 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Marion County?
29 operating plants with 177 MW of capacity. The largest is Detroit (100 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Marion County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Marion County.
Is Marion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 175,778 jobs in 2025 against 158,839 in 2019 (+10.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 10,928 to 11,329.
Does Marion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marion County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.