Fallon County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Baker
No data center or power plant project is on record in Fallon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Fallon County is home to Baker. Next door, Custer County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,163 jobs in 2025, down 12.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 30 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Fallon County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.89¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities.
Cities and towns in Fallon County
Fallon County is home to Baker.
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 Fallon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,029 | 2,959 | ▼ 2.3% | 42nd of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,324 | 1,163 | ▼ 12.2% | 54th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,863 | $56,827 | ▲ 7.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.9% | 2.1% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 2.1% in August 2026, against 1.9% in 2019. 2,959 people live here, down 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Fallon County
Utilities with service territory in Fallon County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 19,616 | 12.89¢ | 37% |
| Goldenwest Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southeast Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tongue 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 30 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Willow Wind Facility | Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Wind | 30 MW | 2007 |
The Fallon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,163 | $56,827 | 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 Fallon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Fallon County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Fallon County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Fallon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallon County | 2,959 | ▼ 12.2% | 30 MW | — | — | — |
| Bowman County ND | 2,762 | ▼ 5.5% | 220 MW | — | — | — |
| Carter County | 1,383 | ▲ 28.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 12,034 | ▲ 1.0% | 231 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Golden Valley County ND | 1,808 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Harding County SD | 1,331 | ▼ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Prairie County | 1,112 | ▲ 66.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Slope County ND | 628 | ▼ 27.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Wibaux County | 885 | ▲ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Fallon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Fallon County, Montana?
5 utilities have service territory in Fallon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Goldenwest Electric Coop, Inc, Southeast Electric Coop, Inc, Tongue River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 12.89¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Fallon County?
1 operating plant with 30 MW of capacity. The largest is Diamond Willow Wind Facility (30 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Fallon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Fallon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Custer County.
Is Fallon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,163 jobs in 2025 against 1,324 in 2019 (-12.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Fallon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Fallon County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.