Park County, Wyoming: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cody and Powell
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Park County. Park County is home to Cody and Powell. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed zoning prohibition on data centers in most zones”. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Construction employs 956, down 0.2% since 2019. 1 MW has retired here since 2019, including Elk Basin Gasoline Plant (other technologies, 1 MW, 2026).
Cities and towns in Park County
Park County is home to Cody and Powell.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Garland, Mammoth, Ralston.
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 Park County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wyoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 29,670 | 31,171 | ▲ 5.1% | 8th of 23 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,739 | 13,985 | ▲ 1.8% | 12th of 23 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,798 | $53,903 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 958 | 956 | ▼ 0.2% | 10th of 14 by growth |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12 | 16 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 2.6% | ▼ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — |
Its power plants have 34 MW of capacity, 97% of it hydro. Employers here counted 13,985 jobs in 2025, up 1.8% from 2019. PacifiCorp is the largest utility serving Park County, one of 10 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.44¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.98¢ median for Wyoming utilities. 31,171 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020, 8th of 23 Wyoming counties by population.
Who powers Park County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Park County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PacifiCorp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 118,130 | 13.44¢ | 16% |
| High Plains Power Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,767 | 13.71¢ | 5% |
| NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 294 | 12.83¢ | 92% |
| Beartooth Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Big Horn Rural Electric Co | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Cody | — | — | — | — | — |
| Garland Light & Power Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Powell - (WY) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 33 MW | 97% |
| Other technologies | 1 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bill | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 18 MW | 1992 |
| Heart Mountain | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 5 MW | 1948 |
| Spirit Mountain | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 4 MW | 1994 |
| Shoshone (WY) | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 3 MW | 1922 |
| Garland Canal Power Plant | Shoshone Irrigation District | Hydro | 3 MW | 1983 |
| Elk Basin Gasoline Plant | Contango Oil and Gas | Other technologies | 1 MW | 1948 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Basin Gasoline Plant | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2026 |
The Park County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,985 | $53,903 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 956 | $57,167 | 1.29 |
| Power and communication line construction | 16 | $95,248 | 0.71 |
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 Park County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed zoning prohibition on data centers in most zones | Proposed | 2026-07 |
Park County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Park County, Gallatin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Park County | 31,171 | ▲ 1.8% | 34 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Big Horn County | 12,024 | ▲ 4.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Carbon County MT | 11,466 | ▲ 14.3% | 242 MW | — | — | — |
| Fremont County | 39,464 | ▲ 1.6% | 31 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Gallatin County MT | 128,740 | ▲ 22.6% | 4 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Hot Springs County | 4,600 | ▲ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Park County MT | 18,214 | ▲ 18.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Teton County | 23,333 | ▲ 11.6% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Washakie County | 7,597 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
More of Wyoming
Park County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Park County, Wyoming?
10 utilities have service territory in Park County in the EIA-861 2024 report: PacifiCorp, High Plains Power Inc, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Beartooth Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, PacifiCorp, charged residential customers 13.44¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cody, WY in?
Cody is in Park County, Wyoming. About 10,377 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Park County?
6 operating plants with 34 MW of capacity. The largest is Buffalo Bill (18 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Park County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Park County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Gallatin County.
Is Park County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,985 jobs in 2025 against 13,739 in 2019 (+1.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 958 to 956.
Does Park County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Park County, 0 in force.