Bottineau County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bottineau
Bottineau County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Bottineau County is home to Bottineau, Roland Township and Whitteron Township. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,543 jobs in 2025, up 5.7% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 53 North Dakota counties). Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Bottineau County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.72¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. 6,284 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Bottineau County
Bottineau County is home to Bottineau, Roland Township and Whitteron Township.
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 Bottineau County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,385 | 6,284 | ▼ 1.6% | 20th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,407 | 2,543 | ▲ 5.7% | 7th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,847 | $53,684 | ▲ 17.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 83 | 81 | ▼ 2.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.0% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
Who powers Bottineau County
Utilities with service territory in Bottineau 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% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 45,467 | 11.38¢ | 77% |
| Verendrye Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,336 | 10.70¢ | 24% |
| North Central Elec Coop, Inc - (ND) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,061 | 10.90¢ | 36% |
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 Bottineau County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bottineau County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,543 | $53,684 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 81 | $58,422 | 0.60 |
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 Bottineau County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bottineau County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Bottineau County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Bottineau County, Rolette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottineau County | 6,284 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| McHenry County | 5,130 | ▲ 2.3% | 112 MW | — | — | — |
| Pierce County | 3,838 | ▼ 2.4% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Renville County | 2,331 | ▼ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Rolette County | 11,688 | ▲ 7.1% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Bottineau County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bottineau County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Bottineau County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Otter Tail Power Co, Verendrye Electric Coop Inc, North Central Elec Coop, Inc - (ND). The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Bottineau County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bottineau County.
Is Bottineau County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,543 jobs in 2025 against 2,407 in 2019 (+5.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 83 to 81.
Does Bottineau County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bottineau County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.