Sibley County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gaylord, Arlington and Winthrop
Sibley 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. Sibley County is home to Gaylord, Arlington, Winthrop and Henderson. Construction employs 212, up 31.7% since 2019. Next door, Carver County has 11 data centers. Employers here counted 3,771 jobs in 2025, down 11.9% from 2019. 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Sibley County
Sibley County is home to Gaylord, Arlington, Winthrop and Henderson.
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 Sibley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,820 | 15,356 | ▲ 3.6% | 54th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,279 | 3,771 | ▼ 11.9% | 86th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,510 | $54,367 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 161 | 212 | ▲ 31.7% | 10th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 26 | ▼ 13.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.6% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Sibley County, one of 9 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 15,356 people live here, up 3.6% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 26, down 13.3% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $72,795 a year.
Who powers Sibley County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Sibley 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% |
| Minnesota Valley Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 43,412 | 13.98¢ | 43% |
| BENCO Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,361 | 15.03¢ | 24% |
| City of Arlington - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Brown County Rural Elec Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Le Sueur - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| McLeod Cooperative Power Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| Renville-Sibley Coop Pwr 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibbon Solar | Green Street Power Partners | Solar | 3 MW | 2019 |
| Erin Garden Solar | Erin Garden LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
| Mud Garden Solar | Mud Garden LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
| SolarClub 28 LLC | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
| Titlow Garden LLC CSG | Titlow Garden LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2023 |
The Sibley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,771 | $54,367 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 212 | $64,161 | 1.06 |
| Electrical contractors | 26 | $72,795 | 0.96 |
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 Sibley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sibley County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Le Sueur County.
Sibley County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sibley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sibley County | 15,356 | ▼ 11.9% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Carver County | 114,379 | ▲ 0.3% | 151 MW | — | 11 | — |
| Le Sueur County | 29,453 | ▼ 3.3% | 48 MW | — | — | 1 |
| McLeod County | 36,631 | ▼ 1.0% | 188 MW | — | — | — |
| Nicollet County | 34,273 | ▼ 5.3% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Renville County | 14,356 | ▼ 2.7% | 38 MW | — | — | — |
| Scott County | 159,017 | ▲ 16.6% | 442 MW | 136 MW | 5 | — |
More of Minnesota
Sibley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sibley County, Minnesota?
9 utilities have service territory in Sibley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Minnesota Valley Electric Coop, BENCO Electric Cooperative, City of Arlington - (MN). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Sibley County?
5 operating plants with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Gibbon Solar (3 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Sibley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sibley County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Carver County.
Is Sibley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,771 jobs in 2025 against 4,279 in 2019 (-11.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 161 to 212.
Does Sibley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sibley County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.