Musselshell County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Roundup
Musselshell 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. Musselshell County is home to Roundup. Next door, Yellowstone County has 7 data centers. 5,582 people live here, up 17.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,274 jobs in 2025, up 4.0% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Musselshell County
Musselshell County is home to Roundup.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Camp Three, Flat Willow Colony, Kilby Butte Colony, Klein, Musselshell.
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 Musselshell County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,748 | 5,582 | ▲ 17.6% | 35th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,225 | 1,274 | ▲ 4.0% | 27th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,662 | $62,030 | ▲ 27.5% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17 | 15 | ▼ 11.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.2% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Musselshell 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. Electrical contractors employ 15, down 11.8% since 2019 against up 43.9% statewide, at an average $37,303 a year.
Who powers Musselshell County
Utilities with service territory in Musselshell 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% |
| Yellowstone Valley Elec Co-op | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,182 | 13.35¢ | 24% |
| Fergus Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,682 | 15.52¢ | 74% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Musselshell County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Musselshell County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,274 | $62,030 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 15 | $37,303 | 1.63 |
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 Musselshell County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Musselshell County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Yellowstone County.
Musselshell County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Musselshell County, Rosebud 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musselshell County | 5,582 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Fergus County | 11,825 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Golden Valley County | 844 | ▲ 22.6% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Petroleum County | 548 | ▲ 18.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Rosebud County | 8,253 | ▼ 4.6% | 2,262 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Yellowstone County | 172,692 | ▲ 6.7% | 360 MW | 50 MW | 7 | 1 |
More of Montana
Musselshell County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Musselshell County, Montana?
3 utilities have service territory in Musselshell County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Yellowstone Valley Elec Co-op, Fergus Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Musselshell County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Musselshell County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Yellowstone County.
Is Musselshell County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,274 jobs in 2025 against 1,225 in 2019 (+4.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Musselshell County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Musselshell County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.