Judith Basin County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Geyser and Moccasin
No data center or power plant project is on record in Judith Basin County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Judith Basin County is home to Stanford and Hobson. Next door, Wheatland County has 710 MW of planned generation. 80 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 120 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Judith Basin County
Judith Basin County is home to Stanford and Hobson.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Geyser, Moccasin, Raynesford, Sapphire Ridge, Surprise Creek Colony, Utica, Windham.
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 Judith Basin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,025 | 2,162 | ▲ 6.8% | 43rd of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 508 | 521 | ▲ 2.6% | 32nd of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,242 | $44,162 | ▲ 15.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 61 | 35 | ▼ 42.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.2% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 80 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 521 jobs in 2025, up 2.6% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Judith Basin 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. 2,162 people live here, up 6.8% since 2020.
Who powers Judith Basin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +80 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Judith Basin 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% |
| Sun 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 120 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Peak Wind | ALLETE Clean Energy | Wind | 80 MW | 2020 |
| Spion Kop Wind Farm | NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) | Wind | 40 MW | 2012 |
The Judith Basin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 521 | $44,162 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 35 | $65,723 | 1.27 |
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 Judith Basin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Judith Basin County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Judith Basin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Judith Basin County, Wheatland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judith Basin County | 2,162 | ▲ 2.6% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
| Cascade County | 85,029 | ▲ 1.8% | 331 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Chouteau County | 5,865 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Fergus County | 11,825 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Meagher County | 2,137 | ▲ 11.0% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheatland County | 2,100 | ▼ 8.0% | 165 MW | 710 MW | — | — |
More of Montana
Judith Basin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Judith Basin County, Montana?
3 utilities have service territory in Judith Basin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Fergus Electric Coop, Inc, Sun River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Judith Basin County?
2 operating plants with 120 MW of capacity. The largest is South Peak Wind (80 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Judith Basin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Judith Basin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wheatland County.
Is Judith Basin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 521 jobs in 2025 against 508 in 2019 (+2.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 61 to 35.
Does Judith Basin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Judith Basin County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.