Chouteau County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Benton
Chouteau 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. Chouteau County is home to Fort Benton and Big Sandy. Next door, Cascade County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,230 jobs in 2025, up 4.4% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Chouteau 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 2.8% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Chouteau County
Chouteau County is home to Fort Benton and Big Sandy.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Boneau, Carter, Floweree, Highwood, Loma, Parker School, Rocky Boy West, Square Butte, Sunnybrook Colony, Twin Hills Colony.
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 Chouteau County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,911 | 5,865 | ▼ 0.8% | 34th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,178 | 1,230 | ▲ 4.4% | 25th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,261 | $46,267 | ▲ 48.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 2.8% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
5,865 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Chouteau County
Utilities with service territory in Chouteau 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% |
| Hill County Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sun River 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 Chouteau County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Chouteau County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,230 | $46,267 | 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 Chouteau County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Chouteau County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Chouteau County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Chouteau County, Cascade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chouteau County | 5,865 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 6,860 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Cascade County | 85,029 | ▲ 1.8% | 331 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Fergus County | 11,825 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Hill County | 16,167 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Judith Basin County | 2,162 | ▲ 2.6% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
| Liberty County | 1,957 | ▲ 2.8% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Pondera County | 6,072 | ▼ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Teton County | 6,496 | ▲ 7.8% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Chouteau County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Chouteau County, Montana?
5 utilities have service territory in Chouteau County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Fergus Electric Coop, Inc, Hill County Electric Coop, Inc, Sun River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Chouteau County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Chouteau County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cascade County.
Is Chouteau County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,230 jobs in 2025 against 1,178 in 2019 (+4.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Chouteau County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Chouteau County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.