Anoka County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Blaine, Coon Rapids and Andover
Anoka County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Anoka County. Anoka County is home to Blaine, Coon Rapids, Andover and Fridley. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Construction employs 9,673, up 10.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 1,804, up 13.5% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $103,652 a year.
Cities and towns in Anoka County
Anoka County is home to Blaine, Coon Rapids, Andover and Fridley.
- Spring Lake Park also extends into Ramsey County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Martin Lake.
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 Anoka County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 364,474 | 381,605 | ▲ 4.7% | 4th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 127,698 | 133,128 | ▲ 4.3% | 18th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,912 | $67,842 | ▲ 23.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,723 | 9,673 | ▲ 10.9% | 33rd of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,590 | 1,804 | ▲ 13.5% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 141 | 200 | ▲ 41.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 133,128 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 17 MW of capacity, 64% of it solar. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Anoka County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 381,605 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020, 4th of 87 Minnesota counties by population.
Who powers Anoka County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Anoka County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,230,057 | 16.98¢ | 44% |
| Connexus Energy | Cooperative | Bundled | 134,095 | 13.66¢ | 30% |
| City of Anoka | Municipal | Bundled | 11,646 | 15.88¢ | 31% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 11 MW | 64% |
| Battery storage | 6 MW | 36% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connexus Solar Stanford 1STF | REA Investments, LLC | Solar | 7 MW | 2021 |
| Anoka BESS | Gopher Energy Storage, LLC | Battery storage | 6 MW | 2018 |
| Anoka County MN CONX | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2018 |
The Anoka County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 133,128 | $67,842 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 9,673 | $91,226 | 1.37 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,804 | $103,652 | 1.88 |
| Power and communication line construction | 200 | $113,105 | 0.93 |
| Data processing and hosting | 30 | $130,529 | 0.07 |
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 Anoka County
2 data centers in Anoka County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Anoka County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Anoka County, Hennepin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anoka County | 381,605 | ▲ 4.3% | 17 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Chisago County | 59,142 | ▲ 4.2% | 191 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Hennepin County | 1,284,784 | ▼ 1.9% | 696 MW | — | 48 | — |
| Isanti County | 44,386 | ▲ 0.1% | 215 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Ramsey County | 541,623 | ▼ 1.3% | 701 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Sherburne County | 104,194 | ▲ 8.4% | 2,670 MW | 611 MW | 2 | — |
| Washington County | 286,895 | ▲ 9.3% | 924 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
More of Minnesota
Anoka County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Anoka County, Minnesota?
3 utilities have service territory in Anoka County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Connexus Energy, City of Anoka. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Blaine, MN in?
Blaine is in Anoka County, Minnesota. About 76,603 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Coon Rapids, MN in?
Coon Rapids is in Anoka County, Minnesota. About 64,193 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Andover, MN in?
Andover is in Anoka County, Minnesota. About 33,874 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Anoka County?
3 operating plants with 17 MW of capacity. The largest is Connexus Solar Stanford 1STF (7 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Anoka County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Anoka County.
Is Anoka County adding jobs?
Employers counted 133,128 jobs in 2025 against 127,698 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 8,723 to 9,673.
Does Anoka County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Anoka County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.