Blaine County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chinook
Blaine 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. Blaine County is home to Chinook and Harlem. Employers here counted 1,325 jobs in 2025, down 6.2% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Blaine County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 6,860 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Blaine County
Blaine County is home to Chinook and Harlem.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Belknap Agency, Hartland Colony, Hays, Hogeland, Lodge Pole, North Harlem Colony, Turner, Turner Colony, Zurich.
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 Blaine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,009 | 6,860 | ▼ 2.1% | 31st of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,413 | 1,325 | ▼ 6.2% | 48th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,948 | $46,693 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
Who powers Blaine County
Utilities with service territory in Blaine 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% |
| Fergus Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,682 | 15.52¢ | 74% |
| Big Flat Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hill County Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 79% |
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 Blaine County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Blaine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,325 | $46,693 | 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 Blaine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Blaine County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Blaine County and its neighbors
None of the 4 counties bordering Blaine County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine County | 6,860 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Chouteau County | 5,865 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Fergus County | 11,825 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Hill County | 16,167 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Phillips County | 4,203 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Blaine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Blaine County, Montana?
5 utilities have service territory in Blaine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Fergus Electric Coop, Inc, Big Flat Electric Coop Inc, Hill County Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Blaine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Blaine County.
Is Blaine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,325 jobs in 2025 against 1,413 in 2019 (-6.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Blaine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Blaine County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.