Wilkin County, Minnesota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Breckenridge
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wilkin County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wilkin County is home to Breckenridge. 1 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Novel Blilie Solar, LLC (solar). 1 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Richland County, North Dakota, has 295 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 1,649 jobs in 2025, down 8.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Wilkin County
Wilkin County is home to Breckenridge.
And 3 smaller places.
- Rothsay also extends into Otter Tail 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 Wilkin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Minnesota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,477 | 6,288 | ▼ 2.9% | 78th of 87 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,797 | 1,649 | ▼ 8.2% | 80th of 87 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,196 | $57,897 | ▲ 34.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.7pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1 MW | no fleet today | 15th of 15 by size |
Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Wilkin County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.98¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.36¢ median for Minnesota utilities. 6,288 people live here, down 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Wilkin County
Utilities with service territory in Wilkin 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% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 50,118 | 11.33¢ | 37% |
| Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN) | Cooperative | Bundled | 27,239 | 13.28¢ | 26% |
| City of Breckenridge- (MN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Traverse Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Wilkin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novel Blilie Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Novel Blilie Solar, LLC |
The Wilkin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,649 | $57,897 | 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 Wilkin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wilkin County. Minnesota has 25 local measures on record statewide.
Wilkin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Wilkin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkin County | 6,288 | ▼ 8.2% | — | 1 MW | — | — |
| Clay County | 67,734 | ▲ 1.0% | 78 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Grant County | 6,085 | ● 0.0% | 21 MW | — | — | — |
| Otter Tail County | 61,041 | ▼ 1.1% | 53 MW | — | — | — |
| Richland County ND | 16,731 | ▲ 0.9% | 2 MW | 295 MW | — | — |
| Traverse County | 3,130 | ▼ 13.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Minnesota
Wilkin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wilkin County, Minnesota?
6 utilities have service territory in Wilkin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Otter Tail Power Co, Lake Region Electric Cooperative - (MN), City of Breckenridge- (MN). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 16.98¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Wilkin County?
1 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 1 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Novel Blilie Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Wilkin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wilkin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richland County.
Is Wilkin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,649 jobs in 2025 against 1,797 in 2019 (-8.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Wilkin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wilkin County. Minnesota has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.