Dickey County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oakes and Ellendale
Dickey County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. Construction employs 743, up 1386.0% since 2019, and construction is 5.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,496 jobs in 2025, up 38.7% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 53 North Dakota counties). The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 10 data centers in Dickey County, 38% of North Dakota's total. Dickey County is home to Oakes and Ellendale. 150 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Dickey County
Dickey County is home to Oakes and Ellendale.
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 Dickey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,972 | 4,895 | ▼ 1.5% | 24th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,799 | 2,496 | ▲ 38.7% | 2nd of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,151 | $67,740 | ▲ 77.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 50 | 743 | ▲ 1386.0% | 1st of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.6% | 1.0% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 150 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 330 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind, the 9th largest fleet in North Dakota. Unemployment was 1.0% in August 2026, against 1.6% in 2019. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Dickey County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.72¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. 4,895 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Dickey County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +150 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Dickey 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% |
| Cass County Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 51,968 | 12.45¢ | 35% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 45,467 | 11.38¢ | 77% |
| Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,721 | 12.01¢ | 1% |
| Northern 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 330 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tatanka Wind Power LLC | Acciona Wind Energy USA LLC | Wind | 180 MW | 2008 |
| Foxtail Wind, LLC | Foxtail Wind, LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2020 |
The Dickey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,496 | $67,740 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 743 | $110,983 | 5.62 |
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 Dickey County
10 data centers in Dickey County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Dickey County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Dickey County, Brown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickey County | 4,895 | ▲ 38.7% | 330 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Brown County SD | 37,561 | ▼ 4.0% | 327 MW | 32 MW | — | — |
| LaMoure County | 4,135 | ▲ 4.9% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| McIntosh County | 2,451 | ▼ 3.2% | 400 MW | — | — | — |
| McPherson County SD | 2,347 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Ransom County | 5,617 | ▼ 2.5% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Sargent County | 3,711 | ▼ 27.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Dickey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dickey County, North Dakota?
6 utilities have service territory in Dickey County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Cass County Elec Coop Inc, Otter Tail Power Co, Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Dickey County?
2 operating plants with 330 MW of capacity. The largest is Tatanka Wind Power LLC (180 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Dickey County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 10 data centers in Dickey County.
Is Dickey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,496 jobs in 2025 against 1,799 in 2019 (+38.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 50 to 743.
Does Dickey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dickey County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.