Silver Bow County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Butte-Silver Bow
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Silver Bow County. Silver Bow County and the city of Butte-Silver Bow share the same boundaries; Walkerville also lie inside it. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed six-month interim zoning moratorium”. Construction employs 627, up 12.6% since 2019. Employers here counted 16,486 jobs in 2025, up 5.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 55 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Silver Bow County
Silver Bow County and the city of Butte-Silver Bow share the same boundaries; Walkerville also lie inside it.
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 Silver Bow County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 35,208 | 36,118 | ▲ 2.6% | 8th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15,696 | 16,486 | ▲ 5.0% | 23rd of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,732 | $58,119 | ▲ 36.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 557 | 627 | ▲ 12.6% | 21st of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Silver Bow 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. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. 36,118 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020, 8th of 56 Montana counties by population.
Who powers Silver Bow County
Utilities with service territory in Silver Bow 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% |
| Bonneville Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vigilante 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 55 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basin Creek Plant | Basin Creek Power Services LLC | Natural gas | 55 MW | 2006 |
The Silver Bow County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,486 | $58,119 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 627 | $64,311 | 0.72 |
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 Silver Bow County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed six-month interim zoning moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Silver Bow County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Silver Bow County, Beaverhead 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Bow County | 36,118 | ▲ 5.0% | 55 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Beaverhead County | 10,043 | ▲ 3.2% | 80 MW | 400 MW | — | — |
| Deer Lodge County | 9,709 | ▲ 7.6% | 203 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 13,329 | ▲ 17.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 10,026 | ▼ 32.7% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Silver Bow County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Silver Bow County, Montana?
3 utilities have service territory in Silver Bow County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Bonneville Power Administration, Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Butte-Silver Bow, MT in?
Butte-Silver Bow is in Silver Bow County, Montana. About 35,469 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Silver Bow County?
1 operating plant with 55 MW of capacity. The largest is Basin Creek Plant (55 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Silver Bow County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Silver Bow County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Beaverhead County.
Is Silver Bow County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,486 jobs in 2025 against 15,696 in 2019 (+5.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 557 to 627.
Does Silver Bow County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Silver Bow County, 0 in force.