Kittitas County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ellensburg, Cle Elum and Kittitas
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Kittitas County. Kittitas County is home to Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Kittitas and Roslyn. Construction employs 1,442, up 34.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Moratorium on data center applications, extended to one year”. Employers here counted 16,812 jobs in 2025, up 9.1% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 39 Washington counties). 15 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Kittitas County
Kittitas County is home to Ellensburg, Cle Elum, Kittitas and Roslyn.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Easton, Ronald, Snoqualmie Pass, Thorp, Vantage.
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 Kittitas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 46,823 | 48,803 | ▲ 4.2% | 23rd of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,403 | 16,812 | ▲ 9.1% | 4th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,475 | $57,398 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,072 | 1,442 | ▲ 34.5% | 2nd of 33 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32 | 49 | ▲ 53.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 15 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 483 MW of capacity, 97% of it wind. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. Puget Sound Energy Inc is the largest utility serving Kittitas County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 48,803 people live here, up 4.2% since 2020.
Who powers Kittitas County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +15 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Kittitas 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% |
| PUD No 2 of Grant County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 42,485 | 6.01¢ | 57% |
| PUD No 1 of Chelan County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 42,120 | 3.67¢ | 26% |
| City of Ellensburg - (WA) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,799 | 10.40¢ | 53% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 56% |
| PUD No 1 of Kittitas County | — | — | — | — | — |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 468 MW | 97% |
| Solar | 16 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Horse | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Wind | 273 MW | 2006 |
| Sagebrush Power Partners | Sagebrush Power Partners, LLC | Wind | 101 MW | 2010 |
| Vantage Wind Energy LLC | Invenergy Services LLC | Wind | 90 MW | 2010 |
| Camas Solar Project | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2022 |
| Penstemon Solar Project | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2022 |
| Urtica Solar Project | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2022 |
The Kittitas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,812 | $57,398 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,442 | $76,062 | 1.62 |
| Electric utilities | 49 | $172,930 | 1.08 |
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 Kittitas County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moratorium on data center applications, extended to one year | In force | 2026-09 |
Kittitas County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Kittitas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kittitas County | 48,803 | ▲ 9.1% | 483 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Chelan County | 81,941 | ▲ 0.9% | 2,905 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Douglas County | 46,473 | ▼ 1.1% | 2,456 MW | — | 8 | — |
| Grant County | 105,727 | ▲ 5.8% | 9,098 MW | 650 MW | 27 | — |
| King County | 2,344,939 | ▲ 0.2% | 167 MW | — | 45 | — |
| Yakima County | 259,185 | ▼ 0.4% | 194 MW | 80 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of Washington
Kittitas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kittitas County, Washington?
6 utilities have service territory in Kittitas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Puget Sound Energy Inc, PUD No 2 of Grant County, PUD No 1 of Chelan County, City of Ellensburg - (WA). The largest, Puget Sound Energy Inc, charged residential customers 14.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Ellensburg, WA in?
Ellensburg is in Kittitas County, Washington. About 21,308 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Kittitas County?
7 operating plants with 483 MW of capacity. The largest is Wild Horse (273 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Kittitas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kittitas County. The nearest activity on record is next door in King County.
Is Kittitas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,812 jobs in 2025 against 15,403 in 2019 (+9.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,072 to 1,442.
Does Kittitas County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Kittitas County, 1 in force.