Lake County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Polson and Ronan
Lake 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. Electrical contractors employ 67, up 103.0% since 2019 against up 43.9% statewide, at an average $51,320 a year. Construction employs 655, up 50.2% since 2019. Lake County is home to Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius. Next door, Missoula County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 9,694 jobs in 2025, up 8.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Lake County
Lake County is home to Polson, Ronan and St. Ignatius.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arlee, Bear Dance, Big Arm, Charlo, Dayton, Elmo, Finley Point, Jette, Kerr, Kicking Horse, Kings Point, Lake Mary Ronan, Lindisfarne, Niarada, Pablo, Ravalli, Rocky Point, Rollins, Swan Lake, Turtle Lake, Woods Bay.
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 Lake County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 31,245 | 33,392 | ▲ 6.9% | 9th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,973 | 9,694 | ▲ 8.0% | 18th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,043 | $54,190 | ▲ 46.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 436 | 655 | ▲ 50.2% | 4th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 67 | ▲ 103.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Its power plants have 228 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Flathead Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Lake County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 9.67¢/kWh in 2024, below the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. 33,392 people live here, up 6.9% since 2020, 9th of 56 Montana counties by population.
Who powers Lake County
Utilities with service territory in Lake County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 63,317 | 9.67¢ | 30% |
| USBIA-Mission Valley Power | Federal | Bundled | 16,292 | 8.91¢ | 33% |
| Missoula Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,686 | 10.50¢ | 20% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 228 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selis Ksanka Qlispe | Energy Keepers Inc | Hydro | 228 MW | 1938 |
The Lake County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,694 | $54,190 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 655 | $49,875 | 1.28 |
| Electrical contractors | 67 | $51,320 | 0.96 |
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 Lake County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lake County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Missoula County.
Lake County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Lake County, Flathead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 33,392 | ▲ 8.0% | 228 MW | — | — | — |
| Flathead County | 115,429 | ▲ 15.7% | 438 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Missoula County | 123,513 | ▲ 7.3% | 6 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Sanders County | 14,062 | ▲ 15.6% | 586 MW | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Lake County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lake County, Montana?
3 utilities have service territory in Lake County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Flathead Electric Coop Inc, USBIA-Mission Valley Power, Missoula Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Flathead Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 9.67¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lake County?
1 operating plant with 228 MW of capacity. The largest is Selis Ksanka Qlispe (228 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Lake County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lake County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Missoula County.
Is Lake County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,694 jobs in 2025 against 8,973 in 2019 (+8.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 436 to 655.
Does Lake County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lake County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.