Cowlitz County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Longview, Kelso and Woodland
Cowlitz 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. Cowlitz County is home to Longview, Kelso, Woodland and Kalama. Construction employs 3,305, up 23.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 382, up 21.7% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $96,341 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 768 MW of capacity, 45% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Cowlitz County
Cowlitz County is home to Longview, Kelso, Woodland and Kalama.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Beacon Hill, Cougar, Lexington, Longview Heights, Ryderwood.
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 Cowlitz County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 111,014 | 114,885 | ▲ 3.5% | 12th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 39,477 | 41,077 | ▲ 4.1% | 14th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,278 | $70,057 | ▲ 34.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,684 | 3,305 | ▲ 23.1% | 7th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 314 | 382 | ▲ 21.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 5.2% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 41,077 jobs in 2025, up 4.1% from 2019. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Cowlitz County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.08¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 114,885 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Cowlitz County
Utilities with service territory in Cowlitz County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 114,453 | 11.08¢ | 38% |
| PUD No 1 of Cowlitz County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 48,267 | 8.80¢ | 9% |
| PUD No 1 of Lewis County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 29,417 | 9.48¢ | 20% |
| 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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 342 MW | 45% |
| Natural gas | 319 MW | 42% |
| Other technologies | 107 MW | 14% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Farm Generating Station | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Natural gas | 319 MW | 2008 |
| Merwin | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 136 MW | 1931 |
| Yale | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 134 MW | 1953 |
| Swift 2 | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 72 MW | 1958 |
| Nippon Dynawave Packaging Longview WA | Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. | Other technologies | 62 MW | 1948 |
| Longview Fibre | Longview Fibre Co | Other technologies | 45 MW | 1958 |
The Cowlitz County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 41,077 | $70,057 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,305 | $95,463 | 1.52 |
| Electrical contractors | 382 | $96,341 | 1.29 |
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 Cowlitz County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Cowlitz County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Skamania County.
Cowlitz County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Cowlitz County, Lewis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz County | 114,885 | ▲ 4.1% | 768 MW | — | — | — |
| Clark County | 532,119 | ▲ 11.2% | 248 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbia County OR | 54,091 | ▲ 4.2% | 1,319 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 88,062 | ▲ 2.2% | 1,883 MW | — | — | — |
| Skamania County | 12,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 240 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Wahkiakum County | 4,873 | ▼ 4.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Washington
Cowlitz County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Cowlitz County, Washington?
4 utilities have service territory in Cowlitz County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, PUD No 1 of Cowlitz County, PUD No 1 of Lewis County, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 11.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Longview, WA in?
Longview is in Cowlitz County, Washington. About 38,362 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Kelso, WA in?
Kelso is in Cowlitz County, Washington. About 12,801 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Cowlitz County?
6 operating plants with 768 MW of capacity. The largest is Mint Farm Generating Station (319 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Cowlitz County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Cowlitz County.
Is Cowlitz County adding jobs?
Employers counted 41,077 jobs in 2025 against 39,477 in 2019 (+4.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,684 to 3,305.
Does Cowlitz County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Cowlitz County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.