Billings County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Billings County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Employers here counted 745 jobs in 2025, up 40.6% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 53 North Dakota counties). Billings County is home to Medora. 1,071 people live here, up 15.2% since 2020. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Billings County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.72¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Billings County
Billings County is home to Medora.
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 Billings County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 930 | 1,071 | ▲ 15.2% | 52nd of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 530 | 745 | ▲ 40.6% | 1st of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,235 | $56,227 | ▲ 33.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 1.9% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Who powers Billings County
Utilities with service territory in Billings County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 79,354 | 11.72¢ | 67% |
| Roughrider Electric Cooperativ | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,183 | 10.24¢ | 43% |
| McKenzie Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,382 | 7.86¢ | 31% |
| Goldenwest Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 97% |
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 Billings County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Billings County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 745 | $56,227 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 144 | $73,694 | 3.65 |
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 Billings County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Billings County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Billings County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Billings County, McKenzie 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings County | 1,071 | ▲ 40.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Dunn County | 4,058 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Golden Valley County | 1,808 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| McKenzie County | 15,192 | ▼ 4.7% | 363 MW | — | — | — |
| Slope County | 628 | ▼ 27.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Stark County | 34,013 | ▼ 2.3% | 300 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Billings County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Billings County, North Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Billings County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Roughrider Electric Cooperativ, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc, Goldenwest Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Billings County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Billings County.
Is Billings County adding jobs?
Employers counted 745 jobs in 2025 against 530 in 2019 (+40.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Billings County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Billings County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.