Union County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to La Grande, Union and Elgin
Union 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. Union County is home to La Grande, Union, Elgin and Island City. Electrical contractors employ 64, up 64.1% since 2019 against up 12.8% statewide, at an average $76,507 a year. Next door, Umatilla County has 13 data centers and 604 MW of planned generation. Its power plants have 101 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Employers here counted 10,444 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to La Grande, Union, Elgin and Island City.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,171 | 25,900 | ▼ 1.0% | 24th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,269 | 10,444 | ▲ 1.7% | 18th of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,355 | $53,965 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39 | 64 | ▲ 64.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Union County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.08¢/kWh in 2024, below the 11.02¢ median for Oregon utilities. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. 25,900 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Union County
Utilities with service territory in Union County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 25,997 | 10.08¢ | 28% |
| Umatilla Electric Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,620 | 9.84¢ | 89% |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 101 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm | Telocaset Wind Power Partners | Wind | 101 MW | 2007 |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,444 | $53,965 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 64 | $76,507 | 0.85 |
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 Union County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Union County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Union County, Umatilla 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 25,900 | ▲ 1.7% | 101 MW | — | — | — |
| Baker County | 16,658 | ▼ 0.2% | 261 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 7,075 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Umatilla County | 81,119 | ▲ 4.6% | 2,719 MW | 604 MW | 13 | — |
| Wallowa County | 7,595 | ▲ 8.3% | 412 MW | — | — | — |
More of Oregon
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, Oregon?
3 utilities have service territory in Union County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc, Umatilla Electric Coop Assn, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, Oregon Trail El Cons Coop, Inc, charged residential customers 10.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is La Grande, OR in?
La Grande is in Union County, Oregon. About 12,985 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Union County?
1 operating plant with 101 MW of capacity. The largest is Elkhorn Valley Wind Farm (101 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Union County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Union County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Umatilla County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,444 jobs in 2025 against 10,269 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Union County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.