Blaine County, Nebraska: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Blaine County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Blaine County is home to Dunning. Employers here counted 134 jobs in 2025, up 7.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. Custer Public Power District is the largest utility serving Blaine County. Its residential customers paid an average 12.71¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.86¢ median for Nebraska utilities. 458 people live here, up 6.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Blaine County
Blaine County is home to Dunning.
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 Blaine County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Nebraska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 429 | 458 | ▲ 6.8% | 91st of 93 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 125 | 134 | ▲ 7.2% | 14th of 93 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,453 | $45,610 | ▲ 25.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Who powers Blaine County
Utilities with service territory in Blaine County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer Public Power District | Political Subdivision | Bundled | 4,707 | 12.71¢ | 22% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Blaine County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Blaine County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 134 | $45,610 | 1.00 |
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 Blaine County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Blaine County. Nebraska has 23 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Cherry County, Custer County, Logan County.
Blaine County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Blaine County, Custer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine County | 458 | ▲ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Brown County | 2,826 | ▲ 13.2% | 59 MW | — | — | — |
| Cherry County | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Custer County | 10,500 | ▲ 0.8% | 166 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Logan County | 669 | ▼ 13.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Loup County | 570 | ▼ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Thomas County | 639 | ▼ 8.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Nebraska
Blaine County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Blaine County, Nebraska?
1 utility has service territory in Blaine County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Custer Public Power District. The largest, Custer Public Power District, charged residential customers 12.71¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Blaine County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Blaine County.
Is Blaine County adding jobs?
Employers counted 134 jobs in 2025 against 125 in 2019 (+7.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Blaine County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Blaine County. Nebraska has 23 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.