Hettinger County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Hettinger County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Hettinger County is home to New England and Mott. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Hettinger 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. Employers here counted 711 jobs in 2025, up 1.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.1% in August 2026, against 2.0% in 2019. 2,492 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Hettinger County
Hettinger County is home to New England and Mott.
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 Hettinger County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,483 | 2,492 | ▲ 0.4% | 36th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 703 | 711 | ▲ 1.1% | 21st of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,689 | $50,275 | ▲ 12.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.0% | 2.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Who powers Hettinger County
Utilities with service territory in Hettinger 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% |
| Slope Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,204 | 13.81¢ | 10% |
| Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Hettinger County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hettinger County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 711 | $50,275 | 1.00 |
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 Hettinger County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hettinger County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Hettinger County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Hettinger County, Stark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hettinger County | 2,492 | ▲ 1.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County | 2,275 | ▼ 11.5% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Grant County | 2,206 | ▲ 13.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Slope County | 628 | ▼ 27.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Stark County | 34,013 | ▼ 2.3% | 300 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Hettinger County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hettinger County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Hettinger County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Roughrider Electric Cooperativ, Slope Electric Coop Inc, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hettinger County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hettinger County.
Is Hettinger County adding jobs?
Employers counted 711 jobs in 2025 against 703 in 2019 (+1.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Hettinger County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hettinger County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.