Kanabec County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mora, Arthur Township and Brunswick Township
Kanabec 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. Kanabec County is home to Mora, Arthur Township, Brunswick Township and Knife Lake Township. Construction employs 332, up 26.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 4,175 jobs in 2025, up 6.8% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 87 Minnesota counties). Its power plants have 15 MW of capacity, 45% of it petroleum. East Central Energy is the largest utility serving Kanabec County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.89¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities.
Cities and towns in Kanabec County
Kanabec County is home to Mora, Arthur Township, Brunswick Township and Knife Lake 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 Kanabec County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,054 | 16,628 | ▲ 3.6% | 52nd of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,909 | 4,175 | ▲ 6.8% | 10th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,381 | $55,033 | ▲ 33.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 262 | 332 | ▲ 26.7% | 15th of 72 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.6% | 6.3% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 6.3% in August 2026, against 6.6% in 2019. 16,628 people live here, up 3.6% since 2020.
Who powers Kanabec County
Utilities with service territory in Kanabec County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Central Energy | Cooperative | Bundled | 55,250 | 16.89¢ | 29% |
| City of Mora - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 7 MW | 45% |
| Natural gas | 7 MW | 44% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 10% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mora | City of Mora - (MN) | Natural gas | 14 MW | 1957 |
| SMMPA Methane Energy Facility | Southern Minnesota Mun P Agny | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2012 |
The Kanabec County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,175 | $55,033 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 332 | $93,099 | 1.50 |
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 Kanabec County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Kanabec County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Pine County.
Kanabec County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Kanabec County, Chisago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanabec County | 16,628 | ▲ 6.8% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Aitkin County | 16,252 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Chisago County | 59,142 | ▲ 4.2% | 191 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Isanti County | 44,386 | ▲ 0.1% | 215 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Mille Lacs County | 27,753 | ▼ 2.4% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Pine County | 30,472 | ▼ 5.0% | 28 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Minnesota
Kanabec County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kanabec County, Minnesota?
2 utilities have service territory in Kanabec County in the EIA-861 2024 report: East Central Energy, City of Mora - (MN). The largest, East Central Energy, charged residential customers 16.89¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Kanabec County?
2 operating plants with 15 MW of capacity. The largest is Mora (14 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Kanabec County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kanabec County.
Is Kanabec County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,175 jobs in 2025 against 3,909 in 2019 (+6.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 262 to 332.
Does Kanabec County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kanabec County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.