McHenry County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Velva
McHenry 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. McHenry County is home to Velva. Next door, McLean County has 1 data center. Its power plants have 112 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,311 jobs in 2025, up 2.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in McHenry County
McHenry County is home to Velva.
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 McHenry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,336 | 5,130 | ▼ 3.9% | 23rd of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,282 | 1,311 | ▲ 2.3% | 17th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,765 | $55,314 | ▲ 15.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving McHenry County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. 5,130 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers McHenry County
Utilities with service territory in McHenry County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Investor Owned | Bundled | 82,987 | 12.11¢ | 47% |
| 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% |
| McLean Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,711 | 14.25¢ | 23% |
| 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 | 112 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Frontier Wind | Meadowlark Wind I LLC | Wind | 100 MW | 2018 |
| Velva Windfarm LLC | Acciona Wind Energy USA LLC | Wind | 12 MW | 2005 |
The McHenry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,311 | $55,314 | 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 McHenry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McHenry County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
McHenry County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McHenry County, McLean 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry County | 5,130 | ▲ 2.3% | 112 MW | — | — | — |
| Bottineau County | 6,284 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| McLean County | 9,740 | ▲ 2.6% | 1,216 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pierce County | 3,838 | ▼ 2.4% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Renville County | 2,331 | ▼ 7.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 1,296 | ▼ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Ward County | 68,233 | ▼ 1.8% | 120 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
McHenry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McHenry County, North Dakota?
6 utilities have service territory in McHenry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Otter Tail Power Co, Verendrye Electric Coop Inc, North Central Elec Coop, Inc - (ND). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 12.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in McHenry County?
2 operating plants with 112 MW of capacity. The largest is New Frontier Wind (100 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in McHenry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McHenry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in McLean County.
Is McHenry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,311 jobs in 2025 against 1,282 in 2019 (+2.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does McHenry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McHenry County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.