Deer Lodge County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
No data center or power plant project is on record in Deer Lodge County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Electrical contractors employ 39, up 69.6% since 2019 against up 43.9% statewide, at an average $98,647 a year. Deer Lodge County and the city of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County share the same boundaries. Construction employs 133, up 20.9% since 2019. Next door, Beaverhead County has 400 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 3,370 jobs in 2025, up 7.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Deer Lodge County
Deer Lodge County and the city of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County share the same boundaries.
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 Deer Lodge County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,425 | 9,709 | ▲ 3.0% | 24th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,132 | 3,370 | ▲ 7.6% | 20th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,952 | $55,473 | ▲ 38.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 110 | 133 | ▲ 20.9% | 18th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 23 | 39 | ▲ 69.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 203 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Deer Lodge County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. 9,709 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Deer Lodge County
Utilities with service territory in Deer Lodge 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% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 203 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Gates Generating Station | NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) | Natural gas | 203 MW | 2011 |
The Deer Lodge County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,370 | $55,473 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 133 | $71,984 | 0.74 |
| Electrical contractors | 39 | $98,647 | 1.60 |
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 Deer Lodge County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Deer Lodge County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Silver Bow County.
Deer Lodge County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Deer Lodge County, Beaverhead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Lodge County | 9,709 | ▲ 7.6% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaverhead County | 10,043 | ▲ 3.2% | 80 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Granite County | 3,658 | ▼ 0.9% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 13,329 | ▲ 17.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Powell County | 7,157 | ▲ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Ravalli County | 48,582 | ▲ 13.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Silver Bow County | 36,118 | ▲ 5.0% | 55 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Montana
Deer Lodge County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Deer Lodge County, Montana?
3 utilities have service territory in Deer Lodge County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Bonneville Power Administration, 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 Deer Lodge County?
1 operating plant with 203 MW of capacity. The largest is Dave Gates Generating Station (203 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Deer Lodge County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Deer Lodge County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Beaverhead County.
Is Deer Lodge County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,370 jobs in 2025 against 3,132 in 2019 (+7.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 110 to 133.
Does Deer Lodge County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Deer Lodge County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.