Rosebud County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Colstrip and Forsyth
The data center boom is not abstract in Rosebud County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Rosebud County, 5% of Montana's total. Rosebud County is home to Colstrip and Forsyth. 716 MW has retired here since 2019, including Colstrip (coal, 716 MW, 2020). Its power plants have 2,262 MW of capacity, 75% of it coal, the largest fleet in Montana. 568 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Rosebud County
Rosebud County is home to Colstrip and Forsyth.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ashland, Birney, Lame Deer, Rosebud.
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 Rosebud County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,309 | 8,253 | ▼ 0.7% | 28th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,791 | 3,616 | ▼ 4.6% | 44th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,376 | $66,874 | ▲ 27.7% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 360 | 320 | ▼ 11.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.3% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 568 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 716 MW | — |
Employers here counted 3,616 jobs in 2025, down 4.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Rosebud County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. 8,253 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Rosebud County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −148 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rosebud 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% |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 19,616 | 12.89¢ | 37% |
| McCone Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mid-Yellowstone Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tongue River Electric Coop 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.
Operating power plants 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,694 MW | 75% |
| Wind | 568 MW | 25% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colstrip | Talen Montana LLC | Coal | 1,647 MW | 1984 |
| Clearwater Wind I | Clearwater Energy Resources LLC | Wind | 366 MW | 2022 |
| Clearwater Wind II | Clearwater Wind II, LLC | Wind | 103 MW | 2023 |
| Clearwater Wind III | Clearwater Wind III, LLC | Wind | 100 MW | 2024 |
| Colstrip Energy LP | Colstrip Energy LP | Coal | 46 MW | 1990 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colstrip | Coal | 716 MW | 2020 |
The Rosebud County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,616 | $66,874 | 1.00 |
| Electric utilities | 320 | $145,736 | 32.69 |
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 Rosebud County
1 data center in Rosebud County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Rosebud County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Rosebud County, Yellowstone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosebud County | 8,253 | ▼ 4.6% | 2,262 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Big Horn County | 12,752 | ▼ 7.6% | 397 MW | — | — | — |
| Custer County | 12,034 | ▲ 1.0% | 231 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Garfield County | 1,148 | ▲ 3.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Musselshell County | 5,582 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum County | 548 | ▲ 18.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Powder River County | 1,781 | ▲ 24.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Treasure County | 728 | ▲ 4.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Yellowstone County | 172,692 | ▲ 6.7% | 360 MW | 50 MW | 7 | 1 |
More of Montana
Rosebud County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rosebud County, Montana?
6 utilities have service territory in Rosebud County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, McCone Electric Coop Inc, Mid-Yellowstone Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Rosebud County?
5 operating plants with 2,262 MW of capacity. The largest is Colstrip (1,647 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Rosebud County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Rosebud County.
Is Rosebud County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,616 jobs in 2025 against 3,791 in 2019 (-4.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Rosebud County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rosebud County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.