Wahkiakum County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Altoona and Deep River
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wahkiakum County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wahkiakum County is home to Cathlamet. Employers here counted 706 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019. 4,873 people live here, up 9.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 6.5% in August 2026, against 7.0% in 2019. PUD No 2 of Pacific County is the largest utility serving Wahkiakum County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.17¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities.
Cities and towns in Wahkiakum County
Wahkiakum County is home to Cathlamet.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Altoona, Deep River, East Cathlamet, Grays River, Lower Elochoman, Puget Island, Rosburg, Skamokawa Valley, Upper Elochoman.
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 Wahkiakum County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,446 | 4,873 | ▲ 9.6% | 37th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 740 | 706 | ▼ 4.6% | 38th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,176 | $48,464 | ▲ 26.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.0% | 6.5% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
Who powers Wahkiakum County
Utilities with service territory in Wahkiakum County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUD No 2 of Pacific County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 16,513 | 9.17¢ | 29% |
| PUD No 1 of Wahkiakum 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.
No operating power plant is located in Wahkiakum County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wahkiakum County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 706 | $48,464 | 1.00 |
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 Wahkiakum County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wahkiakum County. Washington has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Wahkiakum County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Wahkiakum County, Lewis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahkiakum County | 4,873 | ▼ 4.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Clatsop County OR | 40,926 | ▲ 0.7% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Columbia County OR | 54,091 | ▲ 4.2% | 1,319 MW | — | — | — |
| Cowlitz County | 114,885 | ▲ 4.1% | 768 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis County | 88,062 | ▲ 2.2% | 1,883 MW | — | — | — |
| Pacific County | 24,357 | ▼ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Washington
Wahkiakum County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wahkiakum County, Washington?
2 utilities have service territory in Wahkiakum County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PUD No 2 of Pacific County, PUD No 1 of Wahkiakum County. The largest, PUD No 2 of Pacific County, charged residential customers 9.17¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Wahkiakum County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wahkiakum County.
Is Wahkiakum County adding jobs?
Employers counted 706 jobs in 2025 against 740 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wahkiakum County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wahkiakum County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.