Carter County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Alzada
Carter 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. Employers here counted 326 jobs in 2025, up 28.9% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 56 Montana counties). Carter County is home to Ekalaka. Next door, Custer County has 1 data center. Unemployment was 1.4% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. Black Hills Power, Inc. is the largest utility serving Carter County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 6.96¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities.
Cities and towns in Carter County
Carter County is home to Ekalaka.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alzada.
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 Carter County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,406 | 1,383 | ▼ 1.6% | 50th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 253 | 326 | ▲ 28.9% | 2nd of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,951 | $47,065 | ▲ 34.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 1.4% | ▼ 1.6pts | — |
1,383 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Carter County
Utilities with service territory in Carter County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills Power, Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 12 | 6.96¢ | 0% |
| Grand Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southeast Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tongue River 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.
No operating power plant is located in Carter County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Carter County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 326 | $47,065 | 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 Carter County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Carter County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Carter County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Carter County, Custer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 1,383 | ▲ 28.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Butte County SD | 10,856 | ▲ 3.2% | 105 MW | — | — | — |
| Crook County WY | 7,852 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 12,034 | ▲ 1.0% | 231 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Fallon County | 2,959 | ▼ 12.2% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Harding County SD | 1,331 | ▼ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Powder River County | 1,781 | ▲ 24.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Carter County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Carter County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Carter County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Black Hills Power, Inc., Grand Electric Coop, Inc, Southeast Electric Coop, Inc, Tongue River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Black Hills Power, Inc., charged residential customers 6.96¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Carter County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Carter County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Custer County.
Is Carter County adding jobs?
Employers counted 326 jobs in 2025 against 253 in 2019 (+28.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Carter County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Carter County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.