Clark County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Vancouver, Camas and Battle Ground
Clark County has more of its workforce in data processing and hosting than the country as a whole. Clark County is home to Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground and Washougal. Construction employs 17,166, up 17.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Multnomah County, Oregon, has 12 data centers. Employers here counted 182,798 jobs in 2025, up 11.2% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 39 Washington counties). Its power plants have 248 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Clark County
Clark County is home to Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground and Washougal.
- Woodland also extends into Cowlitz County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amboy, Barberton, Brush Prairie, Cherry Grove, Dollars Corner, Duluth, Felida, Fern Prairie, Five Corners, Hazel Dell, Hockinson, Lake Shore, Lewisville, Meadow Glade, Minnehaha, Mount Vista, Orchards, Salmon Creek, Venersborg.
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 Clark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 505,325 | 532,119 | ▲ 5.3% | 5th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 164,439 | 182,798 | ▲ 11.2% | 1st of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $55,631 | $75,483 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,634 | 17,166 | ▲ 17.3% | 10th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,415 | 2,260 | ▼ 6.4% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4 | 7 | ▲ 75.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 902 | 1,026 | ▲ 13.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 4.8% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
PUD No 1 of Clark County - (WA) is the largest utility serving Clark County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.41¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. Electrical contractors employ 2,260, down 6.4% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $88,691 a year. 532,119 people live here, up 5.3% since 2020, 5th of 39 Washington counties by population. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019.
Who powers Clark County
Utilities with service territory in Clark County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUD No 1 of Clark County - (WA) | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 219,477 | 10.41¢ | 29% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 56% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 248 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Road Gen Plant | PUD No 1 of Clark County - (WA) | Natural gas | 248 MW | 1997 |
The Clark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 182,798 | $75,483 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 17,166 | $83,409 | 1.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,260 | $88,691 | 1.71 |
| Electric utilities | 7 | $317,363 | 0.01 |
| Data processing and hosting | 1,026 | $138,859 | 1.81 |
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 Clark County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clark County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Skamania County.
Clark County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Clark County, Multnomah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 532,119 | ▲ 11.2% | 248 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbia County OR | 54,091 | ▲ 4.2% | 1,319 MW | — | — | — |
| Cowlitz County | 114,885 | ▲ 4.1% | 768 MW | — | — | — |
| Multnomah County OR | 795,391 | ▼ 4.9% | 1,588 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Skamania County | 12,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 240 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Washington
Clark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clark County, Washington?
2 utilities have service territory in Clark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PUD No 1 of Clark County - (WA), Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PUD No 1 of Clark County - (WA), charged residential customers 10.41¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Vancouver, WA in?
Vancouver is in Clark County, Washington. About 199,698 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Camas, WA in?
Camas is in Clark County, Washington. About 27,749 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Battle Ground, WA in?
Battle Ground is in Clark County, Washington. About 23,513 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Clark County?
1 operating plant with 248 MW of capacity. The largest is River Road Gen Plant (248 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Clark County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clark County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Multnomah County.
Is Clark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 182,798 jobs in 2025 against 164,439 in 2019 (+11.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 14,634 to 17,166.
Does Clark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clark County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.