Traverse County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wheaton
No data center or power plant project is on record in Traverse County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Traverse County is home to Wheaton and Browns Valley. Employers here counted 1,015 jobs in 2025, down 13.8% from 2019. Next door, Richland County, North Dakota, has 295 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Traverse County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.33¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities.
Cities and towns in Traverse County
Traverse County is home to Wheaton and Browns Valley.
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 Traverse County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,359 | 3,130 | ▼ 6.8% | 87th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,177 | 1,015 | ▼ 13.8% | 87th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,948 | $50,161 | ▲ 39.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.0% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
3,130 people live here, down 6.8% since 2020.
Who powers Traverse County
Utilities with service territory in Traverse 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% |
| Traverse Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Traverse County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Traverse County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,015 | $50,161 | 1.00 |
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 Traverse County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Traverse County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Traverse County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Traverse County, Richland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse County | 3,130 | ▼ 13.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Big Stone County | 5,054 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 6,085 | ● 0.0% | 21 MW | — | — | — |
| Richland County ND | 16,731 | ▲ 0.9% | 2 MW | 295 MW | — | — |
| Roberts County SD | 10,255 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Stevens County | 9,747 | ▲ 4.7% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Wilkin County | 6,288 | ▼ 8.2% | — | 1 MW | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Traverse County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Traverse County, Minnesota?
2 utilities have service territory in Traverse County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Traverse Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.33¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Traverse County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Traverse County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richland County.
Is Traverse County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,015 jobs in 2025 against 1,177 in 2019 (-13.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Traverse County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Traverse County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.