Wadena County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wadena and Menahga
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wadena County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wadena County is home to most of Wadena (4,227 of its 4,341 residents), Menahga, Wadena Township and part of Staples (896 of its 3,074 residents). Electrical contractors employ 26, up 30.0% since 2019 against up 13.6% statewide, at an average $48,991 a year. Construction employs 262, down 0.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,398 jobs in 2025, down 2.0% from 2019. ALLETE, Inc. is the largest utility serving Wadena County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.66¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities.
Cities and towns in Wadena County
Wadena County is home to most of Wadena (4,227 of its 4,341 residents), Menahga, Wadena Township and part of Staples (896 of its 3,074 residents).
- Wadena also extends into Otter Tail County.
- Staples also extends into Todd 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 Wadena County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,124 | 14,388 | ▲ 1.9% | 57th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,508 | 5,398 | ▼ 2.0% | 56th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,450 | $52,367 | ▲ 32.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 264 | 262 | ▼ 0.8% | 52nd of 72 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20 | 26 | ▲ 30.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.7% | 6.1% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 6.1% in August 2026, against 5.7% in 2019. 14,388 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Wadena County
Utilities with service territory in Wadena County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALLETE, Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 125,896 | 15.66¢ | 14% |
| Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,239 | 13.28¢ | 26% |
| Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electrical Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,200 | 13.44¢ | 7% |
| City of Wadena - (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Todd-Wadena Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Wadena County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wadena County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,398 | $52,367 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 262 | $68,240 | 0.92 |
| Electrical contractors | 26 | $48,991 | 0.67 |
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 Wadena County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wadena County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Wadena County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Wadena County, Otter Tail 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadena County | 14,388 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Becker County | 35,497 | ▲ 4.9% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Cass County | 31,430 | ▲ 0.7% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Hubbard County | 22,369 | ▲ 1.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Otter Tail County | 61,041 | ▼ 1.1% | 53 MW | — | — | — |
| Todd County | 26,060 | ▲ 9.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Wadena County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wadena County, Minnesota?
5 utilities have service territory in Wadena County in the EIA-861 2024 report: ALLETE, Inc., Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN), Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electrical Assn, City of Wadena - (MN). The largest, ALLETE, Inc., charged residential customers 15.66¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Wadena County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wadena County.
Is Wadena County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,398 jobs in 2025 against 5,508 in 2019 (-2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 264 to 262.
Does Wadena County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wadena County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.