Pierce County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Tacoma, Lakewood and Puyallup
Pierce County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Pierce County, 5% of Washington's total. Pierce County is home to Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup and University Place. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through August 25, 2027”. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by GREE bn, LLC (battery storage), the 5th largest pipeline among Washington's counties. 200 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Pierce County
Pierce County is home to Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup and University Place.
- Auburn also extends into King County.
- Milton also extends into King County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alder, Alderton, Anderson Island, Artondale, Ashford, Browns Point, Canterwood, Clear Lake, Clover Creek, Crocker, Dash Point, Elbe, Elk Plain, Fife Heights, Fort Lewis, Fox Island, Frederickson, Graham, Greenwater, Herron Island, Home, Kapowsin, Ketron Island, Key Center, La Grande, Lake Tapps, Longbranch, Maplewood, McChord AFB, McKenna, McMillin, Midland, North Fort Lewis, North Puyallup, Parkland, Prairie Heights, Prairie Ridge, Purdy, Raft Island, Rosedale and 11 more.
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 Pierce County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 923,609 | 946,288 | ▲ 2.5% | 2nd of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 316,825 | 337,071 | ▲ 6.4% | 9th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,202 | $73,973 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23,802 | 23,815 | ▲ 0.1% | 23rd of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,170 | 2,172 | ▲ 0.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,026 | 1,391 | ▲ 35.6% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 272 | 351 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 147 | 174 | ▲ 18.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 5.1% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 64 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 31% of today's fleet | 5th of 11 by size |
64 MW has retired here since 2019, including WestRock (WA) (other technologies, 64 MW, 2023). Construction employs 23,815, up 0.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 337,071 jobs in 2025, up 6.4% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 39 Washington counties). Its power plants have 641 MW of capacity, 77% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 2,172, up 0.1% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $79,694 a year. Puget Sound Energy Inc is the largest utility serving Pierce County, one of 15 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 946,288 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020, 2nd of 39 Washington counties by population.
Who powers Pierce County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −64 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pierce 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% |
| City of Tacoma - (WA) | Municipal | Bundled | 180,357 | 10.81¢ | 7% |
| Peninsula Light Company | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,478 | 10.50¢ | 13% |
| PUD No 3 of Mason County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 33,975 | 13.79¢ | 26% |
| PUD No 1 of Lewis County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 29,417 | 9.48¢ | 20% |
| Elmhurst Mutual Power & Light Co | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,410 | 8.32¢ | 17% |
| Lakeview Light & Power | Cooperative | Bundled | 8,238 | 9.91¢ | 33% |
| 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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 496 MW | 77% |
| Hydro | 138 MW | 21% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 3 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederickson Power LP | Frederickson Power LP | Natural gas | 318 MW | 2002 |
| Frederickson | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Natural gas | 178 MW | 1981 |
| LaGrande | City of Tacoma - (WA) | Hydro | 64 MW | 1912 |
| Alder | City of Tacoma - (WA) | Hydro | 51 MW | 1945 |
| Electron | Electron Hydro LLC | Hydro | 23 MW | 1904 |
| LRI LFGTE Facility | Frontier Operation Services | Other technologies | 4 MW | 2013 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwater BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | GREE bn, LLC |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| WestRock (WA) | Other technologies | 64 MW | 2023 |
The Pierce County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 337,071 | $73,973 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 23,815 | $87,733 | 1.33 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,172 | $79,694 | 0.89 |
| Power and communication line construction | 1,391 | $148,246 | 2.55 |
| Electric utilities | 351 | $149,326 | 0.38 |
| Data processing and hosting | 174 | $158,378 | 0.17 |
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 Pierce County
6 data centers in Pierce County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through August 25, 2027 | In force | 2026-08 |
Pierce County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pierce County, King 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce County | 946,288 | ▲ 6.4% | 641 MW | 200 MW | 6 | 1 |
| King County | 2,344,939 | ▲ 0.2% | 167 MW | — | 45 | — |
| Kitsap County | 283,374 | ▲ 2.5% | — | 170 MW | — | — |
| Lewis County | 88,062 | ▲ 2.2% | 1,883 MW | — | — | — |
| Mason County | 71,165 | ▲ 4.0% | 136 MW | — | — | — |
| Thurston County | 304,261 | ▲ 9.6% | 149 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Yakima County | 259,185 | ▼ 0.4% | 194 MW | 80 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of Washington
Pierce County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pierce County, Washington?
15 utilities have service territory in Pierce County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Puget Sound Energy Inc, City of Tacoma - (WA), Peninsula Light Company, PUD No 3 of Mason County. The largest, Puget Sound Energy Inc, charged residential customers 14.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Tacoma, WA in?
Tacoma is in Pierce County, Washington. About 229,816 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Lakewood, WA in?
Lakewood is in Pierce County, Washington. About 62,755 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Puyallup, WA in?
Puyallup is in Pierce County, Washington. About 42,682 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Pierce County?
7 operating plants with 641 MW of capacity. The largest is Frederickson Power LP (318 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Pierce County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 200 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is GREE bn, LLC.
Are there data centers in Pierce County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 6 data centers in Pierce County.
Is Pierce County adding jobs?
Employers counted 337,071 jobs in 2025 against 316,825 in 2019 (+6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 23,802 to 23,815.
Does Pierce County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Pierce County, 1 in force.