Missoula County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Missoula
The data center boom is not abstract in Missoula County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Missoula County, 15% of Montana's total. Missoula County is home to Missoula. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “One-year interim-zoning data center moratorium”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including KRAMBU, Inc. Bonner (Missoula County) (3 MW). Construction employs 4,196, up 21.8% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Missoula County
Missoula County is home to Missoula.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bonner-West Riverside, Carlton, Clinton, Condon, East Missoula, Evaro, Frenchtown, Huson, Lolo, Orchard Homes, Piltzville, Potomac, Seeley Lake, Turah, Twin Creeks, Wye.
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 Missoula County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 118,337 | 123,513 | ▲ 4.4% | 3rd of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 61,413 | 65,880 | ▲ 7.3% | 21st of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,560 | $63,053 | ▲ 44.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,446 | 4,196 | ▲ 21.8% | 17th of 25 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 329 | 458 | ▲ 39.2% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 79 | 113 | ▲ 43.0% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 103 | 84 | ▼ 18.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 458, up 39.2% since 2019 against up 43.9% statewide, at an average $71,928 a year. Employers here counted 65,880 jobs in 2025, up 7.3% from 2019. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Missoula County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 123,513 people live here, up 4.4% since 2020, 3rd of 56 Montana counties by population.
Who powers Missoula County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Missoula 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% |
| USBIA-Mission Valley Power | Federal | Bundled | 16,292 | 8.91¢ | 33% |
| Missoula Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,686 | 10.50¢ | 20% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ravalli County Elec 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Montana CHP | University of Montana | Natural gas | 6 MW | 2025 |
The Missoula County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 65,880 | $63,053 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,196 | $76,139 | 1.20 |
| Electrical contractors | 458 | $71,928 | 0.96 |
| Power and communication line construction | 113 | $71,547 | 1.06 |
| Data processing and hosting | 84 | $139,101 | 0.41 |
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 Missoula County
3 data centers in Missoula County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-year interim-zoning data center moratorium | In force | 2026-07 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRAMBU, Inc. Bonner (Missoula County) | cancelled | 3 MW |
Missoula County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Missoula 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula County | 123,513 | ▲ 7.3% | 6 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Clearwater County ID | 9,118 | ▲ 6.3% | 466 MW | — | — | — |
| Flathead County | 115,429 | ▲ 15.7% | 438 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Granite County | 3,658 | ▼ 0.9% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Idaho County ID | 17,874 | ▲ 4.8% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 33,392 | ▲ 8.0% | 228 MW | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | 5,185 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Powell County | 7,157 | ▲ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Ravalli County | 48,582 | ▲ 13.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Sanders County | 14,062 | ▲ 15.6% | 586 MW | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Missoula County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Missoula County, Montana?
5 utilities have service territory in Missoula County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), USBIA-Mission Valley Power, Missoula Electric Coop, Inc, Bonneville Power Administration. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Missoula, MT in?
Missoula is in Missoula County, Montana. About 78,903 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Missoula County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is University of Montana CHP (6 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Missoula County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Missoula County.
Is Missoula County adding jobs?
Employers counted 65,880 jobs in 2025 against 61,413 in 2019 (+7.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 3,446 to 4,196.
Does Missoula County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Missoula County, 1 in force.