Foster County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carrington
No data center or power plant project is on record in Foster County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Foster County is home to Carrington. Next door, Stutsman County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,487 jobs in 2025, down 3.6% from 2019. Unemployment was 1.7% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Foster County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Foster County
Foster County is home to Carrington.
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 Foster County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,384 | 3,212 | ▼ 5.1% | 33rd of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,543 | 1,487 | ▼ 3.6% | 36th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,743 | $57,539 | ▲ 25.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 56 | 61 | ▲ 8.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 1.7% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
3,212 people live here, down 5.1% since 2020.
Who powers Foster County
Utilities with service territory in Foster 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% |
| 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 Foster County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Foster County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,487 | $57,539 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 61 | $57,050 | 0.77 |
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 Foster County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Foster County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Foster County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Foster County, Stutsman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foster County | 3,212 | ▼ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Eddy County | 2,329 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Griggs County | 2,239 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Stutsman County | 21,414 | ▲ 2.2% | 354 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Wells County | 3,729 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Foster County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Foster County, North Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Foster County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, 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 Foster County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Foster County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Stutsman County.
Is Foster County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,487 jobs in 2025 against 1,543 in 2019 (-3.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 56 to 61.
Does Foster County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Foster County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.