Meagher County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to White Sulphur Springs
No data center or power plant project is on record in Meagher County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Meagher County is home to White Sulphur Springs. Next door, Wheatland County has 710 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 704 jobs in 2025, up 11.0% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 2,137 people live here, up 11.2% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Meagher County
Meagher County is home to White Sulphur Springs.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Martinsdale, Springdale Colony.
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 Meagher County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,922 | 2,137 | ▲ 11.2% | 44th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 634 | 704 | ▲ 11.0% | 15th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,142 | $45,862 | ▲ 47.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 2.2% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 18 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Meagher County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities.
Who powers Meagher County
Utilities with service territory in Meagher 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% |
| Park Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 18 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Butte Wind LLC | Gordon Butte Wind LLC | Wind | 18 MW | 2012 |
The Meagher County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 704 | $45,862 | 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 Meagher County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Meagher County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Meagher County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Meagher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meagher County | 2,137 | ▲ 11.0% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Broadwater County | 8,493 | ▲ 12.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Cascade County | 85,029 | ▲ 1.8% | 331 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Gallatin County | 128,740 | ▲ 22.6% | 4 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Judith Basin County | 2,162 | ▲ 2.6% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis and Clark County | 75,331 | ▲ 9.2% | 80 MW | 7 MW | 3 | — |
| Park County | 18,214 | ▲ 18.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Sweet Grass County | 3,762 | ▼ 2.1% | 25 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheatland County | 2,100 | ▼ 8.0% | 165 MW | 710 MW | — | — |
More of Montana
Meagher County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Meagher County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Meagher County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Fergus Electric Coop, Inc, Park Electric Coop Inc, 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 Meagher County?
1 operating plant with 18 MW of capacity. The largest is Gordon Butte Wind LLC (18 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Meagher County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Meagher County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wheatland County.
Is Meagher County adding jobs?
Employers counted 704 jobs in 2025 against 634 in 2019 (+11.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Meagher County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Meagher County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.