Todd County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Long Prairie and Staples
Todd 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. Electrical contractors employ 18, up 125.0% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $46,779 a year. Construction employs 278, up 59.8% since 2019. Todd County is home to Long Prairie, most of Staples (2,178 of its 3,074 residents), Birchdale Township and Long Prairie Township. Next door, Stearns County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 7,119 jobs in 2025, up 9.7% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 87 Minnesota counties).
Cities and towns in Todd County
Todd County is home to Long Prairie, most of Staples (2,178 of its 3,074 residents), Birchdale Township and Long Prairie Township.
And 15 smaller places.
- Staples also extends into Wadena County.
- Osakis also extends into Douglas County.
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 Todd County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,291 | 26,060 | ▲ 3.0% | 40th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,490 | 7,119 | ▲ 9.7% | 4th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,377 | $57,025 | ▲ 34.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 174 | 278 | ▲ 59.8% | 1st of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8 | 18 | ▲ 125.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 5.4% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Todd 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. 26,060 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Todd County
Utilities with service territory in Todd 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% |
| ALLETE, Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 125,896 | 15.66¢ | 14% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 50,118 | 11.33¢ | 37% |
| Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp | Cooperative | Bundled | 44,698 | 13.33¢ | 21% |
| Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,239 | 13.28¢ | 26% |
| Stearns Cooperative Elec Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 26,138 | 13.88¢ | 18% |
| Runestone Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,282 | 14.36¢ | 10% |
| City of Staples- (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.
No operating power plant is located in Todd County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Todd County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,119 | $57,025 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 278 | $56,371 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 18 | $46,779 | 0.35 |
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 Todd County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Todd County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Todd County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Todd County, Stearns 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd County | 26,060 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Cass County | 31,430 | ▲ 0.7% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 40,120 | ▲ 1.9% | 17 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Morrison County | 34,620 | ▲ 4.5% | 34 MW | — | — | — |
| Otter Tail County | 61,041 | ▼ 1.1% | 53 MW | — | — | — |
| Stearns County | 164,110 | ● 0.0% | 192 MW | 6 MW | 1 | — |
| Wadena County | 14,388 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Todd County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Todd County, Minnesota?
9 utilities have service territory in Todd County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, ALLETE, Inc., Otter Tail Power Co, Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Todd County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Todd County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Stearns County.
Is Todd County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,119 jobs in 2025 against 6,490 in 2019 (+9.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 174 to 278.
Does Todd County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Todd County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.