Sanders County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Thompson Falls and Plains
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sanders County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 232, up 118.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Sanders County is home to Thompson Falls, Plains and Hot Springs. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 6.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 3,364 jobs in 2025, up 15.6% from 2019. Next door, Missoula County has 3 data centers.
Cities and towns in Sanders County
Sanders County is home to Thompson Falls, Plains and Hot Springs.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belknap, Camas, Dixon, Heron, Lonepine, Niarada, Noxon, Old Agency, Paradise, Trout Creek, Weeksville.
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 Sanders County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,454 | 14,062 | ▲ 12.9% | 13th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,910 | 3,364 | ▲ 15.6% | 11th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,774 | $48,888 | ▲ 44.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 106 | 232 | ▲ 118.9% | 1st of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.7% | 4.6% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 586 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro, the 2nd largest fleet in Montana. 14,062 people live here, up 12.9% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 12, at an average $60,750 a year. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Sanders 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.
Who powers Sanders County
Utilities with service territory in Sanders 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% |
| Flathead Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 63,317 | 9.67¢ | 30% |
| USBIA-Mission Valley Power | Federal | Bundled | 16,292 | 8.91¢ | 33% |
| Northern Lights, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,985 | 12.52¢ | 13% |
| Avista Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 9 | 8.50¢ | 81% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 586 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noxon Rapids | Avista Corp | Hydro | 488 MW | 1959 |
| Thompson Falls | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | Hydro | 98 MW | 1915 |
The Sanders County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,364 | $48,888 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 232 | $69,510 | 1.30 |
| Electrical contractors | 12 | $60,750 | 0.49 |
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 Sanders County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sanders County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Missoula County.
Sanders County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Sanders 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanders County | 14,062 | ▲ 15.6% | 586 MW | — | — | — |
| Bonner County ID | 54,420 | ▲ 11.5% | 307 MW | — | — | — |
| Flathead County | 115,429 | ▲ 15.7% | 438 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Lake County | 33,392 | ▲ 8.0% | 228 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 22,328 | ▲ 10.6% | 525 MW | — | — | — |
| Mineral County | 5,185 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Missoula County | 123,513 | ▲ 7.3% | 6 MW | — | 3 | 1 |
| Shoshone County ID | 14,130 | ▲ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Sanders County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sanders County, Montana?
5 utilities have service territory in Sanders County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Flathead Electric Coop Inc, USBIA-Mission Valley Power, Northern Lights, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Sanders County?
2 operating plants with 586 MW of capacity. The largest is Noxon Rapids (488 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Sanders County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sanders County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Missoula County.
Is Sanders County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,364 jobs in 2025 against 2,910 in 2019 (+15.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 106 to 232.
Does Sanders County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sanders County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.