Whatcom County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bellingham, Ferndale and Lynden
The data center boom is not abstract in Whatcom County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Whatcom County. Whatcom County is home to Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and Blaine. Construction employs 7,930, up 9.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 1,719 MW of capacity, 56% of it hydro, the 5th largest fleet in Washington. Owners plan to retire 2 MW more by 2035, led by Newhalem in 2027.
Cities and towns in Whatcom County
Whatcom County is home to Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and Blaine.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Acme, Birch Bay, Custer, Deming, Geneva, Glacier, Kendall, Maple Falls, Marietta-Alderwood, Peaceful Valley, Point Roberts, Sudden Valley.
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 Whatcom County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 227,452 | 236,392 | ▲ 3.9% | 9th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 92,128 | 93,720 | ▲ 1.7% | 25th of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $49,656 | $69,434 | ▲ 39.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,243 | 7,930 | ▲ 9.5% | 13th of 33 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 137 | 115 | ▼ 16.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 4.5% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 93,720 jobs in 2025, up 1.7% from 2019. Puget Sound Energy Inc is the largest utility serving Whatcom County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.63¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. 236,392 people live here, up 3.9% since 2020, 9th of 39 Washington counties by population.
Who powers Whatcom County
Utilities with service territory in Whatcom 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% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 56% |
| City of Blaine - (WA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Sumas - (WA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| PUD No 1 of Whatcom County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | — | — | 0% |
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 12
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 960 MW | 56% |
| Natural gas | 757 MW | 44% |
| Battery storage | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ross | City of Seattle - (WA) | Hydro | 450 MW | 1952 |
| Ferndale Generating Station | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Natural gas | 286 MW | 1994 |
| Gorge | City of Seattle - (WA) | Hydro | 207 MW | 1924 |
| Diablo | City of Seattle - (WA) | Hydro | 182 MW | 1936 |
| Encogen | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Natural gas | 176 MW | 1993 |
| Whitehorn | Puget Sound Energy Inc | Natural gas | 169 MW | 1981 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newhalem | Hydro | 2 MW | 2027 |
The Whatcom County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 93,720 | $69,434 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 7,930 | $94,992 | 1.60 |
| Data processing and hosting | 115 | $151,852 | 0.39 |
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 Whatcom County
2 data centers in Whatcom County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Whatcom County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Whatcom County, Skagit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whatcom County | 236,392 | ▲ 1.7% | 1,719 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Okanogan County | 45,230 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Skagit County | 132,975 | ▲ 2.7% | 648 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Washington
Whatcom County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Whatcom County, Washington?
5 utilities have service territory in Whatcom County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Puget Sound Energy Inc, Bonneville Power Administration, City of Blaine - (WA), City of Sumas - (WA). The largest, Puget Sound Energy Inc, charged residential customers 14.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Bellingham, WA in?
Bellingham is in Whatcom County, Washington. About 96,395 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ferndale, WA in?
Ferndale is in Whatcom County, Washington. About 17,559 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Lynden, WA in?
Lynden is in Whatcom County, Washington. About 16,881 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Whatcom County?
12 operating plants with 1,719 MW of capacity. The largest is Ross (450 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Whatcom County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Whatcom County.
Is Whatcom County adding jobs?
Employers counted 93,720 jobs in 2025 against 92,128 in 2019 (+1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 7,243 to 7,930.
Does Whatcom County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Whatcom County. Washington has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.