Swift County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Benson and Appleton
Swift 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. Unemployment was 8.0% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Swift County is home to Benson, Appleton and Kerkhoven. Construction employs 179, up 10.5% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 57, up 5.6% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $78,556 a year. Its power plants have 9 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Swift County
Swift County is home to Benson, Appleton and Kerkhoven.
And 5 smaller places.
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 Swift County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,801 | 9,763 | ▼ 0.4% | 68th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,549 | 3,627 | ▲ 2.2% | 26th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,859 | $54,727 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 162 | 179 | ▲ 10.5% | 35th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 54 | 57 | ▲ 5.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 8.0% | ▲ 3.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 3,627 jobs in 2025, up 2.2% from 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Swift County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.33¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 9,763 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Swift County
Utilities with service territory in Swift County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 50,118 | 11.33¢ | 37% |
| Minnesota Valley Coop L&P Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,931 | 12.22¢ | 8% |
| Agralite Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,333 | 13.94¢ | 28% |
| City of Benson - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kandiyohi Power Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 100% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 9 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson City of | City of Benson - (MN) | Petroleum | 9 MW | 2002 |
The Swift County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,627 | $54,727 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 179 | $58,450 | 0.93 |
| Electrical contractors | 57 | $78,556 | 2.18 |
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 Swift County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Swift County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Swift County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Swift County, Chippewa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swift County | 9,763 | ▲ 2.2% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Big Stone County | 5,054 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Chippewa County | 12,406 | ▼ 10.6% | 66 MW | — | — | — |
| Kandiyohi County | 44,720 | ▼ 3.3% | 26 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Lac qui Parle County | 6,704 | ▼ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Pope County | 11,420 | ▼ 2.0% | 29 MW | — | — | — |
| Stevens County | 9,747 | ▲ 4.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Swift County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Swift County, Minnesota?
6 utilities have service territory in Swift County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Minnesota Valley Coop L&P Assn, Agralite Electric Coop, City of Benson - (MN). The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Swift County?
1 operating plant with 9 MW of capacity. The largest is Benson City of (9 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Swift County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Swift County.
Is Swift County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,627 jobs in 2025 against 3,549 in 2019 (+2.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 162 to 179.
Does Swift County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Swift County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.