Houston County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to La Crescent, Caledonia and Spring Grove
Houston 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. Houston County is home to La Crescent, Caledonia, Spring Grove and La Crescent Township. Next door, Winona County has 1 data center. Construction employs 374, up 0.3% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Houston County
Houston County is home to La Crescent, Caledonia, Spring Grove and La Crescent Township.
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 Houston County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,843 | 18,400 | ▼ 2.4% | 51st of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,193 | 5,129 | ▼ 1.2% | 48th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,822 | $49,120 | ▲ 37.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 373 | 374 | ▲ 0.3% | 50th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 48 | 45 | ▼ 6.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Houston County, one of 5 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 5,129 jobs in 2025, down 1.2% from 2019. Electrical contractors employ 45, down 6.2% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $65,973 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. 18,400 people live here, down 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Houston County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Houston 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% |
| MiEnergy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 15,224 | 16.56¢ | 23% |
| City of Caledonia - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Eitzen - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Spring Grove | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston/Winona Community Solar One LLC | Madison Energy Holdings LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
| SolarClub 23 LLC | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Houston County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,129 | $49,120 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 374 | $72,857 | 1.38 |
| Electrical contractors | 45 | $65,973 | 1.22 |
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 Houston County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Houston County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: La Crosse County.
Houston County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Houston County, Winona 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston County | 18,400 | ▼ 1.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Allamakee County IA | 14,238 | ▼ 5.0% | 2 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Fillmore County | 21,540 | ▲ 1.0% | 65 MW | — | — | — |
| La Crosse County WI | 121,339 | ▲ 0.9% | 192 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Vernon County WI | 31,443 | ▼ 1.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Winneshiek County IA | 19,733 | ▲ 1.2% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Winona County | 50,523 | ▼ 2.3% | 32 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Minnesota
Houston County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Houston County, Minnesota?
5 utilities have service territory in Houston County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, MiEnergy Cooperative, City of Caledonia - (MN), City of Eitzen - (MN). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Houston County?
2 operating plants with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Houston/Winona Community Solar One LLC (1 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Houston County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Houston County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Winona County.
Is Houston County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,129 jobs in 2025 against 5,193 in 2019 (-1.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 373 to 374.
Does Houston County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Houston County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.