Sweet Grass County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Big Timber
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sweet Grass County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Sweet Grass County is home to Big Timber. Construction employs 105, up 23.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Wheatland County has 710 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Its power plants have 25 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Sweet Grass County
Sweet Grass County is home to Big Timber.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Greycliff.
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 Sweet Grass County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,674 | 3,762 | ▲ 2.4% | 39th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,509 | 1,478 | ▼ 2.1% | 42nd of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,673 | $64,449 | ▲ 22.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 105 | ▲ 23.5% | 16th of 25 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 2.0% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 1,478 jobs in 2025, down 2.1% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Sweet Grass 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. 3,762 people live here, up 2.4% since 2020.
Who powers Sweet Grass County
Utilities with service territory in Sweet Grass 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% |
| Fergus Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,682 | 15.52¢ | 74% |
| Beartooth Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Park 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 25 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Timber Wind Farm | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 25 MW | 2018 |
The Sweet Grass County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,478 | $64,449 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 105 | $49,162 | 1.34 |
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 Sweet Grass County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sweet Grass County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Sweet Grass County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Sweet Grass County, Wheatland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Grass County | 3,762 | ▼ 2.1% | 25 MW | — | — | — |
| Golden Valley County | 844 | ▲ 22.6% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Meagher County | 2,137 | ▲ 11.0% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Park County | 18,214 | ▲ 18.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Stillwater County | 9,445 | ▼ 16.6% | 342 MW | — | — | — |
| Wheatland County | 2,100 | ▼ 8.0% | 165 MW | 710 MW | — | — |
More of Montana
Sweet Grass County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sweet Grass County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Sweet Grass County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Fergus Electric Coop, Inc, Beartooth Electric Coop, Inc, Park Electric Coop Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Sweet Grass County?
1 operating plant with 25 MW of capacity. The largest is Big Timber Wind Farm (25 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Sweet Grass County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sweet Grass County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wheatland County.
Is Sweet Grass County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,478 jobs in 2025 against 1,509 in 2019 (-2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 85 to 105.
Does Sweet Grass County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sweet Grass County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.