Toole County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Shelby
No data center or power plant project is on record in Toole County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Toole County is home to Shelby. Employers here counted 1,758 jobs in 2025, down 5.5% from 2019. Its power plants have 399 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind, the 5th largest fleet in Montana. Glacier Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Toole County, one of 4 with territory here. 5,211 people live here, up 4.9% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Toole County
Toole County is home to Shelby.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Camrose Colony, Hillside Colony, Rimrock Colony, Sweet Grass.
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 Toole County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,967 | 5,211 | ▲ 4.9% | 36th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,860 | 1,758 | ▼ 5.5% | 47th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,785 | $60,384 | ▲ 34.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 2.4% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 2.4% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019.
Who powers Toole County
Utilities with service territory in Toole County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Marias River Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sun 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 399 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NaturEner Rim Rock Energy | NaturEner Rim Rock Energy LLC | Wind | 189 MW | 2012 |
| NaturEner Glacier Wind Energy 1 | NaturEner Glacier Wind Energy 1 LLC | Wind | 106 MW | 2008 |
| NaturEner Glacier Wind Energy 2 | NaturEner Glacier Wind Energy 2 LLC | Wind | 104 MW | 2009 |
The Toole County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,758 | $60,384 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 24 | $116,058 | 0.26 |
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 Toole County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Toole County. Montana has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Toole County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Toole County, Liberty 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toole County | 5,211 | ▼ 5.5% | 399 MW | — | — | — |
| Glacier County | 13,463 | ▲ 2.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Liberty County | 1,957 | ▲ 2.8% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Pondera County | 6,072 | ▼ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Toole County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Toole County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Toole County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Glacier Electric Coop, Inc, Marias River Electric Coop Inc, Sun River Electric Coop, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
What power plants are in Toole County?
3 operating plants with 399 MW of capacity. The largest is NaturEner Rim Rock Energy (189 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Toole County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Toole County.
Is Toole County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,758 jobs in 2025 against 1,860 in 2019 (-5.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Toole County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Toole County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.