Beaverhead County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Dillon
Beaverhead County is a generation frontier for Montana. Beaverhead County is home to Dillon. 400 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by ARFL bn, LLC (solar), the 2nd largest pipeline among Montana's counties. Unemployment was 2.1% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 80 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 80 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Beaverhead County
Beaverhead County is home to Dillon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Argenta, Dell, Dewey, Glen, Grant, Jackson, Lakeview, Maverick Mountain, Wisdom, Wise River.
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 Beaverhead County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,375 | 10,043 | ▲ 7.1% | 22nd of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,929 | 4,054 | ▲ 3.2% | 29th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,204 | $51,033 | ▲ 37.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 2.1% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 80 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 400 MW | 500% of today's fleet | 2nd of 4 by size |
Employers here counted 4,054 jobs in 2025, up 3.2% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Beaverhead County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. 10,043 people live here, up 7.1% since 2020.
Who powers Beaverhead County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +80 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Beaverhead County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 328,127 | 14.23¢ | 49% |
| Vigilante 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 80 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Solar | Apex Solar LLC | Solar | 80 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | ARFL bn, LLC |
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Batteries | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | ARFL bn, LLC |
The Beaverhead County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,054 | $51,033 | 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 Beaverhead County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Beaverhead County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Silver Bow County.
Beaverhead County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Beaverhead County, Deer Lodge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead County | 10,043 | ▲ 3.2% | 80 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Clark County ID | 783 | ▼ 10.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Deer Lodge County | 9,709 | ▲ 7.6% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Fremont County ID | 14,208 | ▲ 21.2% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| Lemhi County ID | 8,474 | ▲ 8.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 10,026 | ▼ 32.7% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Ravalli County | 48,582 | ▲ 13.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Silver Bow County | 36,118 | ▲ 5.0% | 55 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Montana
Beaverhead County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Beaverhead County, Montana?
2 utilities have service territory in Beaverhead County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Beaverhead County?
1 operating plant with 80 MW of capacity. The largest is Apex Solar (80 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Beaverhead County?
400 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is ARFL bn, LLC.
Are there data centers in Beaverhead County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Beaverhead County.
Is Beaverhead County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,054 jobs in 2025 against 3,929 in 2019 (+3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Beaverhead County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Beaverhead County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.