Aitkin County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aitkin, Shamrock Township and Farm Island Township
Aitkin County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Aitkin County is home to Aitkin, Shamrock Township, Farm Island Township and Nordland Township. Construction employs 208, up 18.9% since 2019. Next door, St. Louis County has 7 data centers. Employers here counted 4,402 jobs in 2025, up 6.1% from 2019. ALLETE, Inc. is the largest utility serving Aitkin County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities.
Cities and towns in Aitkin County
Aitkin County is home to Aitkin, Shamrock Township, Farm Island Township and Nordland Township.
And 15 smaller places.
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 Aitkin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,708 | 16,252 | ▲ 3.5% | 53rd of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,147 | 4,402 | ▲ 6.1% | 11th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,783 | $50,165 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 175 | 208 | ▲ 18.9% | 21st of 72 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.6% | 6.2% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 6.6% in 2019. 16,252 people live here, up 3.5% since 2020.
Who powers Aitkin County
Utilities with service territory in Aitkin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLETE, Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 125,896 | 15.66¢ | 14% |
| East Central Energy | Cooperative | Bundled | 55,250 | 16.89¢ | 29% |
| Lake Country Power | Cooperative | Bundled | 47,204 | 17.90¢ | 17% |
| Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,546 | 17.58¢ | 20% |
| Aitkin Public Utilities Comm | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Aitkin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Aitkin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,402 | $50,165 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 208 | $57,739 | 0.89 |
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 Aitkin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Aitkin County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Carlton County, Pine County.
Aitkin County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Aitkin County, St. Louis 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County | 16,252 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Carlton County | 36,711 | ▼ 0.5% | 182 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cass County | 31,430 | ▲ 0.7% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Crow Wing County | 69,132 | ▲ 4.6% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Itasca County | 45,404 | ▲ 1.4% | 956 MW | — | — | — |
| Kanabec County | 16,628 | ▲ 6.8% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Mille Lacs County | 27,753 | ▼ 2.4% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Pine County | 30,472 | ▼ 5.0% | 28 MW | — | — | 1 |
| St. Louis County | 200,518 | ▼ 3.4% | 269 MW | — | 7 | — |
More of Minnesota
Aitkin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Aitkin County, Minnesota?
5 utilities have service territory in Aitkin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: ALLETE, Inc., East Central Energy, Lake Country Power, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative. The largest, ALLETE, Inc., charged residential customers 15.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Aitkin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Aitkin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in St. Louis County.
Is Aitkin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,402 jobs in 2025 against 4,147 in 2019 (+6.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 175 to 208.
Does Aitkin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Aitkin County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.