Big Stone County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ortonville
Big Stone 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. Big Stone County is home to Ortonville and Graceville. Electrical contractors employ 23, up 35.3% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $59,028 a year. Construction employs 176, down 1.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,742 jobs in 2025, up 3.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Big Stone County
Big Stone County is home to Ortonville and Graceville.
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 Big Stone County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,158 | 5,054 | ▼ 2.0% | 83rd of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,688 | 1,742 | ▲ 3.2% | 22nd of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,955 | $54,603 | ▲ 40.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 178 | 176 | ▼ 1.1% | 54th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17 | 23 | ▲ 35.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 5.3% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Big Stone County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.33¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 5,054 people live here, down 2.0% since 2020.
Who powers Big Stone County
Utilities with service territory in Big Stone County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 50,118 | 11.33¢ | 37% |
| Agralite Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,333 | 13.94¢ | 28% |
| City of Ortonville - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Traverse Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Big Stone County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Big Stone County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,742 | $54,603 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 176 | $105,450 | 1.91 |
| Electrical contractors | 23 | $59,028 | 1.83 |
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 Big Stone County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Big Stone County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Big Stone County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Big Stone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone County | 5,054 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grant County SD | 7,534 | ▼ 2.5% | 915 MW | — | — | — |
| Lac qui Parle County | 6,704 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Roberts County SD | 10,255 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Stevens County | 9,747 | ▲ 4.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Swift County | 9,763 | ▲ 2.2% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Traverse County | 3,130 | ▼ 13.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Big Stone County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Big Stone County, Minnesota?
4 utilities have service territory in Big Stone County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Agralite Electric Coop, City of Ortonville - (MN), Traverse Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Big Stone County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Big Stone County.
Is Big Stone County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,742 jobs in 2025 against 1,688 in 2019 (+3.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 178 to 176.
Does Big Stone County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Big Stone County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.