Skamania County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Stevenson and North Bonneville
Skamania County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. Skamania County is home to Stevenson and North Bonneville. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Six-month data center moratorium (Resolution 2026-22)”. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 5.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,235 jobs in 2025, up 4.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 240 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Skamania County
Skamania County is home to Stevenson and North Bonneville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Carson.
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 Skamania County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,038 | 12,669 | ▲ 5.2% | 34th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,138 | 2,235 | ▲ 4.5% | 11th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,122 | $59,317 | ▲ 51.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.3% | 4.1% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
PUD No 1 of Klickitat County is the largest utility serving Skamania County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.05¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 12,669 people live here, up 5.2% since 2020.
Who powers Skamania County
Utilities with service territory in Skamania County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUD No 1 of Klickitat County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 11,917 | 12.05¢ | 29% |
| PUD No 1 of Skamania Co | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 240 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift 1 | PacifiCorp | Hydro | 240 MW | 1958 |
The Skamania County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,235 | $59,317 | 1.00 |
| Data processing and hosting | 10 | $266,426 | 1.44 |
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 Skamania County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Six-month data center moratorium (Resolution 2026-22) | In force | 2026-08 |
Skamania County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Skamania County, Multnomah 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skamania County | 12,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 240 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Clark County | 532,119 | ▲ 11.2% | 248 MW | — | — | — |
| Cowlitz County | 114,885 | ▲ 4.1% | 768 MW | — | — | — |
| Hood River County OR | 23,720 | ▼ 3.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Klickitat County | 24,331 | ▼ 4.3% | 1,708 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Lewis County | 88,062 | ▲ 2.2% | 1,883 MW | — | — | — |
| Multnomah County OR | 795,391 | ▼ 4.9% | 1,588 MW | — | 12 | — |
| Yakima County | 259,185 | ▼ 0.4% | 194 MW | 80 MW | 1 | 1 |
More of Washington
Skamania County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Skamania County, Washington?
2 utilities have service territory in Skamania County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PUD No 1 of Klickitat County, PUD No 1 of Skamania Co. The largest, PUD No 1 of Klickitat County, charged residential customers 12.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Skamania County?
1 operating plant with 240 MW of capacity. The largest is Swift 1 (240 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Skamania County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Skamania County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Multnomah County.
Is Skamania County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,235 jobs in 2025 against 2,138 in 2019 (+4.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Skamania County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Skamania County, 1 in force.