Powder River County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Biddle
Powder River 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. Powder River County is home to Broadus. Employers here counted 619 jobs in 2025, up 24.8% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 56 Montana counties). Next door, Campbell County, Wyoming, has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 1.7% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Powder River Energy Corp is the largest utility serving Powder River County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.69¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities.
Cities and towns in Powder River County
Powder River County is home to Broadus.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Biddle.
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 Powder River County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,694 | 1,781 | ▲ 5.1% | 47th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 496 | 619 | ▲ 24.8% | 3rd of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,269 | $60,198 | ▲ 92.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 1.7% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
1,781 people live here, up 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Powder River County
Utilities with service territory in Powder River County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder River Energy Corp | Cooperative | Bundled | 52 | 12.69¢ | 0% |
| Black Hills Power, Inc. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 12 | 6.96¢ | 0% |
| Southeast Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tongue River 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.
No operating power plant is located in Powder River County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Powder River County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 619 | $60,198 | 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 Powder River County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Powder River County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Powder River County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Powder River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder River County | 1,781 | ▲ 24.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Big Horn County | 12,752 | ▼ 7.6% | 397 MW | — | — | — |
| Campbell County WY | 48,145 | ▼ 2.1% | 1,362 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Carter County | 1,383 | ▲ 28.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Crook County WY | 7,852 | ▲ 10.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 12,034 | ▲ 1.0% | 231 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Rosebud County | 8,253 | ▼ 4.6% | 2,262 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Sheridan County WY | 33,241 | ▲ 9.6% | 15 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Montana
Powder River County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Powder River County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Powder River County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Powder River Energy Corp, Black Hills Power, Inc., Southeast Electric Coop, Inc, Tongue River Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Powder River Energy Corp, charged residential customers 12.69¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Powder River County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Powder River County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Campbell County.
Is Powder River County adding jobs?
Employers counted 619 jobs in 2025 against 496 in 2019 (+24.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Powder River County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Powder River County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.