Mason County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Shelton
Mason 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. Mason County is home to Shelton. Next door, Pierce County has 6 data centers and 200 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 6.4% in 2019. Construction employs 637, down 6.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 15,089 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Mason County
Mason County is home to Shelton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allyn, Belfair, Grapeview, Hoodsport, Skokomish, Union.
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 Mason County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 66,041 | 71,165 | ▲ 7.8% | 20th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,513 | 15,089 | ▲ 4.0% | 16th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,700 | $61,477 | ▲ 40.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 678 | 637 | ▼ 6.0% | 28th of 33 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.4% | 5.2% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 136 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 41, at an average $57,451 a year. City of Tacoma - (WA) is the largest utility serving Mason County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.81¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 71,165 people live here, up 7.8% since 2020.
Who powers Mason County
Utilities with service territory in Mason County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Tacoma - (WA) | Municipal | Bundled | 180,357 | 10.81¢ | 7% |
| PUD No 3 of Mason County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 33,975 | 13.79¢ | 26% |
| PUD No 1 of Mason 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 136 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cushman 2 | City of Tacoma - (WA) | Hydro | 85 MW | 1930 |
| Cushman 1 | City of Tacoma - (WA) | Hydro | 50 MW | 1926 |
| Lilliwaup Falls Generating | William G. Reed Jr | Hydro | 1 MW | 1986 |
The Mason County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,089 | $61,477 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 637 | $52,161 | 0.80 |
| Electrical contractors | 41 | $57,451 | 0.38 |
| Data processing and hosting | 12 | $110,029 | 0.26 |
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 Mason County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mason County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Pierce County.
Mason County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 71,165 | ▲ 4.0% | 136 MW | — | — | — |
| Grays Harbor County | 78,144 | ▲ 2.6% | 767 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 33,970 | ▲ 0.6% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Kitsap County | 283,374 | ▲ 2.5% | — | 170 MW | — | — |
| Pierce County | 946,288 | ▲ 6.4% | 641 MW | 200 MW | 6 | 1 |
| Thurston County | 304,261 | ▲ 9.6% | 149 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
More of Washington
Mason County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mason County, Washington?
3 utilities have service territory in Mason County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Tacoma - (WA), PUD No 3 of Mason County, PUD No 1 of Mason County. The largest, City of Tacoma - (WA), charged residential customers 10.81¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Shelton, WA in?
Shelton is in Mason County, Washington. About 10,921 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Mason County?
3 operating plants with 136 MW of capacity. The largest is Cushman 2 (85 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Mason County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mason County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pierce County.
Is Mason County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,089 jobs in 2025 against 14,513 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 678 to 637.
Does Mason County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mason County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.