Wheeler County, Oregon: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wheeler County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wheeler County is home to Fossil, Mitchell and Spray. Next door, Morrow County has 15 data centers and 2,765 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 352 jobs in 2025, up 11.7% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 36 Oregon counties). Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Columbia Basin Elec Cooperative, Inc is the largest utility serving Wheeler County, one of 3 with territory here.
Cities and towns in Wheeler County
Wheeler County is home to Fossil, Mitchell and Spray.
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 Wheeler County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Oregon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,460 | 1,472 | ▲ 0.8% | 36th of 36 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 315 | 352 | ▲ 11.7% | 2nd of 36 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,022 | $46,100 | ▲ 48.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 3.8% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
1,472 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Wheeler County
Utilities with service territory in Wheeler County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Basin Elec Cooperative, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Columbia Power Coop Assn Inc - (OR) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wasco 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.
No operating power plant is located in Wheeler County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wheeler County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 352 | $46,100 | 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 Wheeler County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wheeler County. Oregon has 7 local measures on record statewide.
Wheeler County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Wheeler County, Morrow 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County | 1,472 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Crook County | 27,564 | ▲ 20.5% | 210 MW | 74 MW | 8 | — |
| Gilliam County | 1,971 | ▲ 3.0% | 1,884 MW | 82 MW | — | — |
| Grant County | 7,075 | ▼ 5.3% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 25,740 | ▲ 2.0% | 532 MW | 494 MW | — | — |
| Morrow County | 12,602 | ▲ 8.6% | 1,943 MW | 2,765 MW | 15 | — |
| Wasco County | 26,310 | ▼ 2.0% | 2,038 MW | 2,103 MW | 4 | — |
More of Oregon
Wheeler County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wheeler County, Oregon?
3 utilities have service territory in Wheeler County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Columbia Basin Elec Cooperative, Inc, Columbia Power Coop Assn Inc - (OR), Wasco Electric Coop, Inc.
Are there data centers in Wheeler County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wheeler County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Morrow County.
Is Wheeler County adding jobs?
Employers counted 352 jobs in 2025 against 315 in 2019 (+11.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wheeler County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wheeler County. Oregon has 7 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.