Madison County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ennis
No data center or power plant project is on record in Madison County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 2,981 jobs in 2025, down 32.7% from 2019. Madison County is home to Ennis and Sheridan. Construction employs 297, up 19.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.9 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Beaverhead County has 400 MW of planned generation. Electrical contractors employ 19, up 26.7% since 2019 against up 43.9% statewide, at an average $46,740 a year.
Cities and towns in Madison County
Madison County is home to Ennis and Sheridan.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alder, Big Sky, Brandon, Harrison, Jeffers, Mammoth, McAllister, Norris, Pony, Silver Star.
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 Madison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,657 | 10,026 | ▲ 15.8% | 23rd of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,427 | 2,981 | ▼ 32.7% | 56th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,367 | $59,742 | ▲ 44.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 248 | 297 | ▲ 19.8% | 19th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15 | 19 | ▲ 26.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 9 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. 9 MW has retired here since 2019, including Madison Dam (hydro, 9 MW, 2019). 10,026 people live here, up 15.8% since 2020. 16 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly hydro. Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Madison County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities.
Who powers Madison County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +8 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Madison 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% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Dam | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | Hydro | 16 MW | 2021 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Dam | Hydro | 9 MW | 2019 |
The Madison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,981 | $59,742 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 297 | $75,679 | 1.88 |
| Electrical contractors | 19 | $46,740 | 0.88 |
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 Madison County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Madison County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Silver Bow County.
Madison County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Madison 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 10,026 | ▼ 32.7% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
| Beaverhead County | 10,043 | ▲ 3.2% | 80 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Fremont County ID | 14,208 | ▲ 21.2% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| Gallatin County | 128,740 | ▲ 22.6% | 4 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Jefferson County | 13,329 | ▲ 17.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Silver Bow County | 36,118 | ▲ 5.0% | 55 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Montana
Madison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Madison County, Montana?
2 utilities have service territory in Madison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), 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 Madison County?
1 operating plant with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Madison Dam (16 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Madison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Madison County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Beaverhead County.
Is Madison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,981 jobs in 2025 against 4,427 in 2019 (-32.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 248 to 297.
Does Madison County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Madison County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.