Wabasha County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lake City, Plainview and Wabasha
Wabasha 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. Wabasha County is home to most of Lake City (4,398 of its 5,306 residents), Plainview, Wabasha and Greenfield Township. Next door, Olmsted County has 5 data centers. Construction employs 145, down 10.5% since 2019. 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 6,512 jobs in 2025, down 4.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Wabasha County
Wabasha County is home to most of Lake City (4,398 of its 5,306 residents), Plainview, Wabasha and Greenfield Township.
And 3 smaller places.
- Lake City also extends into Goodhue 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 Wabasha County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,394 | 21,537 | ▲ 0.7% | 47th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,790 | 6,512 | ▼ 4.1% | 66th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,415 | $49,923 | ▲ 30.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 162 | 145 | ▼ 10.5% | 68th of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16 | 14 | ▼ 12.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.1% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 84% of it solar. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Wabasha County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. Electrical contractors employ 14, down 12.5% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $59,825 a year. 21,537 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Wabasha County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +7 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wabasha 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% |
| People's Cooperative Services | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,665 | 16.70¢ | 22% |
| Goodhue County Coop Elec Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Lake City - (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.
Operating power plants 10
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 14 MW | 84% |
| Hydro | 3 MW | 16% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carina Community Solar | Carina Community Solar | Solar | 4 MW | 2018 |
| Wabasha Holdco Solar CSG | Wabasha Holdco LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2017 |
| Rochester Hydro | Rochester Public Utilities | Hydro | 3 MW | 1984 |
| DIVOCSG 13 | DIVOCSG 13 LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2025 |
| DIVOCSG 14 LLC | DIVOCSG 14 LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2025 |
| MN CSG 2019-105 | MN CSG 2019-105 LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2025 |
The Wabasha County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,512 | $49,923 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 145 | $57,727 | 0.42 |
| Electrical contractors | 14 | $59,825 | 0.30 |
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 Wabasha County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wabasha County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Wabasha County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Wabasha County, Goodhue 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wabasha County | 21,537 | ▼ 4.1% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County WI | 13,318 | ▼ 10.1% | 390 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Goodhue County | 48,195 | ▲ 0.7% | 1,611 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Olmsted County | 166,731 | ▲ 4.5% | 231 MW | 33 MW | 5 | — |
| Pepin County WI | 7,513 | ▲ 6.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Winona County | 50,523 | ▼ 2.3% | 32 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Minnesota
Wabasha County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wabasha County, Minnesota?
4 utilities have service territory in Wabasha County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, People's Cooperative Services, Goodhue County Coop Elec Assn, City of Lake City - (MN). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Wabasha County?
10 operating plants with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Carina Community Solar (4 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Wabasha County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wabasha County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Olmsted County.
Is Wabasha County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,512 jobs in 2025 against 6,790 in 2019 (-4.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 162 to 145.
Does Wabasha County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wabasha County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.