Eddy County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to New Rockford
Eddy 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. Eddy County is home to New Rockford. Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 712 jobs in 2025, down 3.4% from 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Eddy County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 2,329 people live here, up 0.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Eddy County
Eddy County is home to New Rockford.
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 Eddy County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,326 | 2,329 | ▲ 0.1% | 40th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 737 | 712 | ▼ 3.4% | 34th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,538 | $43,103 | ▲ 28.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 30 | ▼ 9.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 1.9% | ▼ 2.0pts | — |
Who powers Eddy County
Utilities with service territory in Eddy County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 45,467 | 11.38¢ | 77% |
| Nodak Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,803 | 12.08¢ | 42% |
| Northern Plains Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,393 | 10.65¢ | 17% |
| 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 Eddy County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Eddy County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 712 | $43,103 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 30 | $46,210 | 0.80 |
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 Eddy County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Eddy County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Eddy County and its neighbors
None of the 5 counties bordering Eddy County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddy County | 2,329 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Benson County | 5,759 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Foster County | 3,212 | ▼ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Griggs County | 2,239 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Nelson County | 2,963 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Wells County | 3,729 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Eddy County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Eddy County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Eddy County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Nodak Electric Coop Inc, Northern Plains Electric Coop, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Eddy County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Eddy County.
Is Eddy County adding jobs?
Employers counted 712 jobs in 2025 against 737 in 2019 (-3.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 33 to 30.
Does Eddy County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Eddy County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.