Yakima County, Washington: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Yakima, Sunnyside and Grandview
The data center boom is not abstract in Yakima County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Yakima County. Yakima County is home to Yakima, Sunnyside, Grandview and Selah. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers through February 12, 2027”. 80 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar), the 9th largest pipeline among Washington's counties. Unemployment was 5.5% in August 2026, against 7.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Yakima County
Yakima County is home to Yakima, Sunnyside, Grandview and Selah.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ahtanum, Buena, Cliffdell, Cowiche, Donald, Eschbach, Gleed, Nile, Outlook, Parker, Summitview, Tampico, Terrace Heights, White Swan.
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 Yakima County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 256,716 | 259,185 | ▲ 1.0% | 8th of 39 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 115,944 | 115,435 | ▼ 0.4% | 33rd of 39 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,476 | $53,739 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,796 | 3,880 | ▲ 2.2% | 21st of 33 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 500 | 567 | ▲ 13.4% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 31 | 68 | ▲ 119.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.4% | 5.5% | ▼ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 160 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 80 MW | 41% of today's fleet | 9th of 11 by size |
Electrical contractors employ 567, up 13.4% since 2019 against up 6.1% statewide, at an average $79,468 a year. 160 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 3,880, up 2.2% since 2019. Its power plants have 194 MW of capacity, 82% of it solar. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Yakima County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.08¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.07¢ median for Washington utilities. Employers here counted 115,435 jobs in 2025, down 0.4% from 2019. 259,185 people live here, up 1.0% since 2020, 8th of 39 Washington counties by population.
Who powers Yakima County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +160 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Yakima County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 114,453 | 11.08¢ | 38% |
| Benton Rural Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,422 | 9.27¢ | 28% |
| PUD No 1 of Klickitat County | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 11,917 | 12.05¢ | 29% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 56% |
| Yakama Power | — | — | — | — | — |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 160 MW | 82% |
| Hydro | 34 MW | 18% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goose Prairie Solar | Goose Prairie Solar LLC | Solar | 80 MW | 2024 |
| Ostrea Solar, LLC | Cypress Creek Renewables | Solar | 80 MW | 2026 |
| Tieton Dam Hydro Electric Project | City of Burbank Water and Power - (CA) | Hydro | 14 MW | 2006 |
| Roza | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 13 MW | 1958 |
| Drop 2 (WA) | Yakama Power | Hydro | 2 MW | 1942 |
| Cowiche | Yakima-Tieton Irrigation Dist | Hydro | 2 MW | 1987 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Top Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 80 MW | Approvals received | 2029 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
The Yakima County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 115,435 | $53,739 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,880 | $62,143 | 0.63 |
| Electrical contractors | 567 | $79,468 | 0.68 |
| Power and communication line construction | 68 | $84,882 | 0.36 |
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 Yakima County
1 data center in Yakima County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers through February 12, 2027 | In force | 2026-08 |
Yakima County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Yakima County, Grant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County | 259,185 | ▼ 0.4% | 194 MW | 80 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Benton County | 221,722 | ▲ 8.9% | 1,322 MW | 1,200 MW | 1 | — |
| Grant County | 105,727 | ▲ 5.8% | 9,098 MW | 650 MW | 27 | — |
| King County | 2,344,939 | ▲ 0.2% | 167 MW | — | 45 | — |
| Kittitas County | 48,803 | ▲ 9.1% | 483 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Klickitat County | 24,331 | ▼ 4.3% | 1,708 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Lewis County | 88,062 | ▲ 2.2% | 1,883 MW | — | — | — |
| Pierce County | 946,288 | ▲ 6.4% | 641 MW | 200 MW | 6 | 1 |
| Skamania County | 12,669 | ▲ 4.5% | 240 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Washington
Yakima County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Yakima County, Washington?
5 utilities have service territory in Yakima County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, Benton Rural Electric Assn, PUD No 1 of Klickitat County, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 11.08¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Yakima, WA in?
Yakima is in Yakima County, Washington. About 97,458 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sunnyside, WA in?
Sunnyside is in Yakima County, Washington. About 16,430 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Grandview, WA in?
Grandview is in Yakima County, Washington. About 12,062 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Yakima County?
8 operating plants with 194 MW of capacity. The largest is Goose Prairie Solar (80 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Yakima County?
80 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cypress Creek Renewables.
Are there data centers in Yakima County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Yakima County.
Is Yakima County adding jobs?
Employers counted 115,435 jobs in 2025 against 115,944 in 2019 (-0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,796 to 3,880.
Does Yakima County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Yakima County, 1 in force.