McLeod County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hutchinson, Glencoe and Winsted
No data center or power plant project is on record in McLeod County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. McLeod County is home to Hutchinson, Glencoe, Winsted and Lester Prairie. Next door, Carver County has 11 data centers. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 24 MW has retired here since 2019, including Hutchinson Plant #1 (natural gas, 24 MW, 2022). Construction employs 511, down 5.0% since 2019.
Cities and towns in McLeod County
McLeod County is home to Hutchinson, Glencoe, Winsted and Lester Prairie.
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 McLeod County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 36,743 | 36,631 | ▼ 0.3% | 30th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,989 | 15,822 | ▼ 1.0% | 42nd of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,145 | $59,899 | ▲ 29.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 538 | 511 | ▼ 5.0% | 59th of 72 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 38 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 24 MW | — |
38 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Its power plants have 188 MW of capacity, 63% of it natural gas. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving McLeod 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 15,822 jobs in 2025, down 1.0% from 2019. 36,631 people live here, down 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers McLeod County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +13 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McLeod 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% |
| Wright-Hennepin Coop Elec Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 53,714 | 14.59¢ | 30% |
| Meeker Coop Light & Power Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 8,572 | 14.09¢ | 15% |
| Hutchinson Utilities Comm | Municipal | Bundled | 6,653 | 11.09¢ | 37% |
| Glencoe Light & Power Comm | Municipal | Bundled | 2,585 | 11.17¢ | 78% |
| City of Brownton - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| McLeod Cooperative Power Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
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 20
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 119 MW | 63% |
| Petroleum | 40 MW | 21% |
| Solar | 27 MW | 14% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Plant #2 | Hutchinson Utilities Comm | Natural gas | 90 MW | 1994 |
| Glencoe | Glencoe Light & Power Comm | Petroleum | 40 MW | 1957 |
| Hutchinson Plant #1 | Hutchinson Utilities Comm | Natural gas | 28 MW | 2013 |
| Andromeda Community Solar | Andromeda Community Solar | Solar | 5 MW | 2017 |
| Helen Solar CSG | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2020 |
| Spruce Ridge Gas Recovery | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2008 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Plant #1 | Natural gas | 24 MW | 2022 |
The McLeod County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 15,822 | $59,899 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 511 | $75,853 | 0.61 |
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 McLeod County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McLeod County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Wright County.
McLeod County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border McLeod County, Carver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLeod County | 36,631 | ▼ 1.0% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Carver County | 114,379 | ▲ 0.3% | 151 MW | — | 11 | — |
| Meeker County | 23,603 | ▲ 4.5% | 66 MW | — | — | — |
| Renville County | 14,356 | ▼ 2.7% | 38 MW | — | — | — |
| Sibley County | 15,356 | ▼ 11.9% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Wright County | 157,559 | ▲ 9.4% | 806 MW | — | — | 2 |
More of Minnesota
McLeod County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McLeod County, Minnesota?
7 utilities have service territory in McLeod County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Wright-Hennepin Coop Elec Assn, Meeker Coop Light & Power Assn, Hutchinson Utilities Comm. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Hutchinson, MN in?
Hutchinson is in McLeod County, Minnesota. About 14,655 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in McLeod County?
20 operating plants with 188 MW of capacity. The largest is Hutchinson Plant #2 (90 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in McLeod County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McLeod County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Carver County.
Is McLeod County adding jobs?
Employers counted 15,822 jobs in 2025 against 15,989 in 2019 (-1.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 538 to 511.
Does McLeod County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McLeod County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.