Phillips County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Malta
Phillips 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. Phillips County is home to Malta. Unemployment was 2.6% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,228 jobs in 2025, down 2.0% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Phillips 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. 4,203 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Phillips County
Phillips County is home to Malta.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): East Malta Colony, Landusky, Loring Colony, Sleeping Buffalo, Whitewater, Zortman.
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 Phillips County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,208 | 4,203 | ▼ 0.1% | 38th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,253 | 1,228 | ▼ 2.0% | 41st of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,813 | $45,313 | ▲ 30.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 2.6% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Who powers Phillips County
Utilities with service territory in Phillips 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% |
| Big Flat Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| NorVal Electric Cooperative, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 79% |
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 Phillips County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Phillips County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,228 | $45,313 | 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 Phillips County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Phillips County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Phillips County and its neighbors
None of the 5 counties bordering Phillips County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips County | 4,203 | ▼ 2.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Blaine County | 6,860 | ▼ 6.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Fergus County | 11,825 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Garfield County | 1,148 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum County | 548 | ▲ 18.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Valley County | 7,385 | ▼ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Phillips County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Phillips County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Phillips County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Big Flat Electric Coop Inc, NorVal Electric Cooperative, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Phillips County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Phillips County.
Is Phillips County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,228 jobs in 2025 against 1,253 in 2019 (-2.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Phillips County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Phillips County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.