Snohomish County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Everett and Marysville, and the communities of Picnic Point
The data center boom is not abstract in Snohomish County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 9 data centers in Snohomish County, 8% of Washington's total. Snohomish County is home to Everett, Marysville, Edmonds and Lynnwood, plus the unincorporated community of Picnic Point. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Emergency six-month data center moratorium”. 25 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA) (battery storage). 25 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Snohomish County
Snohomish County is home to Everett, Marysville, Edmonds and Lynnwood, plus the unincorporated community of Picnic Point.
- Bothell also extends into King County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Picnic Point, Alderwood Manor, Arlington Heights, Bothell East, Bothell West, Bryant, Bunk Foss, Canyon Creek, Cathcart, Cavalero, Chain Lake, Clearview, Eastmont, Esperance, Fobes Hill, Hat Island, High Bridge, Kayak Point, Lake Bosworth, Lake Cassidy, Lake Goodwin, Lake Ketchum, Lake Roesiger, Lake Stickney, Larch Way, Lochsloy, Machias, Maltby, Martha Lake, May Creek, Meadowdale, Mill Creek East, Monroe North, North Lynnwood, North Sultan, Northwest Stanwood, Oso, Silvana, Silver Firs, Sisco Heights and 7 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 Snohomish County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 829,901 | 870,656 | ▲ 4.9% | 3rd of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 291,770 | 299,062 | ▲ 2.5% | 21st of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $63,487 | $84,350 | ▲ 32.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 24,115 | 23,711 | ▼ 1.7% | 24th of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,656 | 2,384 | ▼ 10.2% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 338 | 317 | ▼ 6.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 25 MW | 20% of today's fleet | 11th of 11 by size |
Construction employs 23,711, down 1.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including MESA 2 (battery storage, 2 MW, 2020). 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly battery storage. Its power plants have 125 MW of capacity, 95% of it hydro. Employers here counted 299,062 jobs in 2025, up 2.5% from 2019. PUD No 1 of Snohomish County is the largest utility serving Snohomish County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.51¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 870,656 people live here, up 4.9% since 2020, 3rd of 39 Washington counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 2,384, down 10.2% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $86,915 a year.
Who powers Snohomish County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Snohomish County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUD No 1 of Snohomish County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 346,532 | 11.51¢ | 36% |
| 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 119 MW | 95% |
| Other technologies | 4 MW | 4% |
| Battery storage | 1 MW | 1% |
| Solar | 0 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H M Jackson | PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA) | Hydro | 112 MW | 1984 |
| Youngs Creek Hydroelectric Project | PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA) | Hydro | 8 MW | 2011 |
| Darrington | Hampton Lumber Mills - Washington Inc | Other technologies | 4 MW | 2007 |
| Arlington Microgrid | PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA) | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2019 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlington Battery Energy Storage System | Batteries | 25 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA) |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| MESA 2 | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2020 |
| MESA 1 | Battery storage | 2 MW | 2025 |
The Snohomish County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 299,062 | $84,350 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 23,711 | $81,693 | 1.50 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,384 | $86,915 | 1.11 |
| Data processing and hosting | 317 | $134,862 | 0.34 |
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 Snohomish County
9 data centers in Snohomish County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency six-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-06 |
Snohomish County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Snohomish 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County | 870,656 | ▲ 2.5% | 125 MW | 25 MW | 9 | 1 |
| Chelan County | 81,941 | ▲ 0.9% | 2,905 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Island County | 85,657 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
| King County | 2,344,939 | ▲ 0.2% | 167 MW | — | 45 | — |
| Skagit County | 132,975 | ▲ 2.7% | 648 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Washington
Snohomish County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Snohomish County, Washington?
2 utilities have service territory in Snohomish County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PUD No 1 of Snohomish County, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PUD No 1 of Snohomish County, charged residential customers 11.51¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Everett, WA in?
Everett is in Snohomish County, Washington. About 113,567 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Marysville, WA in?
Marysville is in Snohomish County, Washington. About 77,686 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Edmonds, WA in?
Edmonds is in Snohomish County, Washington. About 42,748 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Snohomish County?
4 operating plants with 125 MW of capacity. The largest is H M Jackson (112 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Snohomish County?
25 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 25 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is PUD No 1 of Snohomish County - (WA).
Are there data centers in Snohomish County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 9 data centers in Snohomish County.
Is Snohomish County adding jobs?
Employers counted 299,062 jobs in 2025 against 291,770 in 2019 (+2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 24,115 to 23,711.
Does Snohomish County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Snohomish County, 1 in force.