Dodge County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kasson, Dodge Center and Mantorville Township
Dodge County is a generation frontier for Minnesota. Dodge County is home to Kasson, Dodge Center, Mantorville Township and Hayfield. 228 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Dodge County Wind, LLC (wind), the 3rd largest pipeline among Minnesota's counties. Construction employs 516, up 8.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 96, up 10.3% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $83,793 a year.
Cities and towns in Dodge County
Dodge County is home to Kasson, Dodge Center, Mantorville Township and Hayfield.
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 Dodge County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,895 | 21,376 | ▲ 2.3% | 48th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,047 | 5,983 | ▼ 1.1% | 43rd of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,013 | $62,565 | ▲ 30.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 477 | 516 | ▲ 8.2% | 38th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 87 | 96 | ▲ 10.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 13 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 228 MW | 298% of today's fleet | 3rd of 15 by size |
13 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 76 MW of capacity, 56% of it wind. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Dodge County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. Employers here counted 5,983 jobs in 2025, down 1.1% from 2019. 21,376 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Dodge County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +13 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Dodge 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% |
| People's Cooperative Services | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,665 | 16.70¢ | 22% |
| Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,842 | 15.15¢ | 28% |
| Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,725 | 15.63¢ | 20% |
| City of Blooming Prairie - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Goodhue County Coop Elec Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Kasson | — | — | — | — | — |
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 18
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 43 MW | 56% |
| Solar | 34 MW | 44% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G McNeilus Wind Farm Dodge Center | Justin McNeilus | Wind | 43 MW | 2002 |
| Dodge Center Solar | Enel Green Power NA, Inc. | Solar | 6 MW | 2016 |
| Dodge Holdco Solar CSG | Dodge Holdco LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| DodgeSun CSG | Geronimo Power | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Aries Community Solar | Aries Community Solar | Solar | 4 MW | 2017 |
| Maston Garden Solar | Maston Garden LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County Wind | Onshore Wind Turbine | 228 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Dodge County Wind, LLC |
The Dodge County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,983 | $62,565 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 516 | $83,365 | 1.63 |
| Electrical contractors | 96 | $83,793 | 2.22 |
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 Dodge County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dodge County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Dodge County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Dodge County, Goodhue 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County | 21,376 | ▼ 1.1% | 76 MW | 228 MW | — | — |
| Goodhue County | 48,195 | ▲ 0.7% | 1,611 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Mower County | 40,971 | ▲ 4.0% | 1,145 MW | — | — | — |
| Olmsted County | 166,731 | ▲ 4.5% | 231 MW | 33 MW | 5 | — |
| Rice County | 69,939 | ▲ 3.5% | 404 MW | 6 MW | — | — |
| Steele County | 37,464 | ▼ 11.9% | 125 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Minnesota
Dodge County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dodge County, Minnesota?
7 utilities have service territory in Dodge County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, People's Cooperative Services, Freeborn Mower Electric Cooperative, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Dodge County?
18 operating plants with 76 MW of capacity. The largest is G McNeilus Wind Farm Dodge Center (43 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Dodge County?
228 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dodge County Wind, LLC.
Are there data centers in Dodge County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dodge County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Olmsted County.
Is Dodge County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,983 jobs in 2025 against 6,047 in 2019 (-1.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 477 to 516.
Does Dodge County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dodge County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.