Kitsap County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island and Port Orchard
No data center or power plant project is on record in Kitsap County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Kitsap County is home to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard and Poulsbo. 170 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by BrightNight Power (battery storage), the 7th largest pipeline among Washington's counties. Next door, Pierce County has 6 data centers and 200 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 4,243, down 8.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 446, up 10.7% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $85,861 a year.
Cities and towns in Kitsap County
Kitsap County is home to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Port Orchard and Poulsbo.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bangor Base, Bethel, Burley, Chico, East Port Orchard, Enetai, Erlands Point, Gorst, Hansville, Indianola, Keyport, Kingston, Kitsap Lake, Lofall, Manchester, Navy Yard City, Parkwood, Port Gamble Tribal Community, Rocky Point, Seabeck, Silverdale, Southworth, Suquamish, Tracyton.
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 Kitsap County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 275,811 | 283,374 | ▲ 2.7% | 7th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 91,884 | 94,213 | ▲ 2.5% | 20th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $53,933 | $73,956 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,636 | 4,243 | ▼ 8.5% | 29th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 403 | 446 | ▲ 10.7% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 44 | 287 | ▲ 552.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 170 MW | no fleet today | 7th of 11 by size |
Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 94,213 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. Puget Sound Energy Inc is the largest utility serving Kitsap County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 283,374 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020, 7th of 39 Washington counties by population.
Who powers Kitsap County
Utilities with service territory in Kitsap County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puget Sound Energy Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,091,599 | 14.63¢ | 41% |
| Peninsula Light Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,478 | 10.50¢ | 13% |
| PUD No 3 of Mason County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 33,975 | 13.79¢ | 26% |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Kitsap County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGATE BESS | Batteries | 170 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | BrightNight Power |
The Kitsap County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 94,213 | $73,956 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,243 | $74,701 | 0.85 |
| Electrical contractors | 446 | $85,861 | 0.66 |
| Data processing and hosting | 287 | $257,713 | 0.98 |
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 Kitsap County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kitsap County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Pierce County.
Kitsap County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Kitsap County, Pierce 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitsap County | 283,374 | ▲ 2.5% | — | 170 MW | — | — |
| Mason County | 71,165 | ▲ 4.0% | 136 MW | — | — | — |
| Pierce County | 946,288 | ▲ 6.4% | 641 MW | 200 MW | 6 | 1 |
More of Washington
Kitsap County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kitsap County, Washington?
4 utilities have service territory in Kitsap County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Puget Sound Energy Inc, Peninsula Light Company, PUD No 3 of Mason County, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, Puget Sound Energy Inc, charged residential customers 14.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bremerton, WA in?
Bremerton is in Kitsap County, Washington. About 45,482 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Bainbridge Island, WA in?
Bainbridge Island is in Kitsap County, Washington. About 24,691 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Port Orchard, WA in?
Port Orchard is in Kitsap County, Washington. About 19,839 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
How much new power is planned in Kitsap County?
170 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is BrightNight Power.
Are there data centers in Kitsap County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kitsap County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pierce County.
Is Kitsap County adding jobs?
Employers counted 94,213 jobs in 2025 against 91,884 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,636 to 4,243.
Does Kitsap County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kitsap County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.