Franklin County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pasco and Connell
Franklin 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. Franklin County is home to Pasco and Connell. Construction employs 2,800, up 25.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Grant County has 27 data centers and 650 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 37,938 jobs in 2025, up 8.6% from 2019 (the 6th fastest growth of 39 Washington counties).
Cities and towns in Franklin County
Franklin County is home to Pasco and Connell.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Basin City, West Pasco.
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 Franklin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 97,137 | 102,612 | ▲ 5.6% | 14th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 34,934 | 37,938 | ▲ 8.6% | 6th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,052 | $59,239 | ▲ 34.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,233 | 2,800 | ▲ 25.4% | 5th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 4.7% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 423, at an average $123,342 a year. Inland Power & Light Company is the largest utility serving Franklin County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 8.98¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 102,612 people live here, up 5.6% since 2020.
Who powers Franklin County
Utilities with service territory in Franklin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland Power & Light Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 41,684 | 8.98¢ | 20% |
| PUD No 1 of Franklin County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 27,388 | 9.68¢ | 39% |
| Big Bend Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,841 | 9.10¢ | 21% |
| 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potholes East Canal 66.0 | Columbia Basin Hydropower | Hydro | 2 MW | 1985 |
| Eltopia Branch Canal 4.6 | Columbia Basin Hydropower | Hydro | 2 MW | 1983 |
The Franklin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 37,938 | $59,239 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,800 | $72,681 | 1.39 |
| Electrical contractors | 423 | $123,342 | 1.55 |
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 Franklin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Franklin County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Franklin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Franklin County, Grant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 102,612 | ▲ 8.6% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 21,488 | ▲ 10.3% | 169 MW | 126 MW | — | — |
| Benton County | 221,722 | ▲ 8.9% | 1,322 MW | 1,200 MW | 1 | — |
| Columbia County | 4,141 | ▼ 10.8% | 1,467 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 105,727 | ▲ 5.8% | 9,098 MW | 650 MW | 27 | — |
| Walla Walla County | 62,361 | ▲ 1.6% | 1,592 MW | — | — | — |
| Whitman County | 48,512 | ▼ 0.1% | 920 MW | — | — | — |
More of Washington
Franklin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Franklin County, Washington?
4 utilities have service territory in Franklin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Inland Power & Light Company, PUD No 1 of Franklin County, Big Bend Electric Coop, Inc, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, Inland Power & Light Company, charged residential customers 8.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Pasco, WA in?
Pasco is in Franklin County, Washington. About 82,848 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Franklin County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Potholes East Canal 66.0 (2 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Franklin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Franklin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Grant County.
Is Franklin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 37,938 jobs in 2025 against 34,934 in 2019 (+8.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,233 to 2,800.
Does Franklin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Franklin County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.