McIntosh County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
McIntosh 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. McIntosh County is home to Wishek and Ashley. Next door, Dickey County has 10 data centers. 400 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Its power plants have 400 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind, the 6th largest fleet in North Dakota. Unemployment was 1.7% in August 2026, against 2.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in McIntosh County
McIntosh County is home to Wishek and Ashley.
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 McIntosh County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,514 | 2,451 | ▼ 2.5% | 37th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,026 | 993 | ▼ 3.2% | 33rd of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,431 | $50,699 | ▲ 35.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.4% | 1.7% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 400 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 993 jobs in 2025, down 3.2% from 2019. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving McIntosh County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.72¢/kWh in 2024, above the 11.38¢ median for North Dakota utilities. 2,451 people live here, down 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers McIntosh County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +400 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McIntosh 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% |
| Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,721 | 12.01¢ | 1% |
| KEM 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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 400 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badger Wind, LLC | Badger Wind , LLC | Wind | 250 MW | 2026 |
| Merricourt Wind Energy Center | Otter Tail Power Co | Wind | 150 MW | 2020 |
The McIntosh County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 993 | $50,699 | 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 McIntosh County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McIntosh County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
McIntosh County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border McIntosh County, Dickey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McIntosh County | 2,451 | ▼ 3.2% | 400 MW | — | — | — |
| Campbell County SD | 1,377 | ▼ 5.3% | 94 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickey County | 4,895 | ▲ 38.7% | 330 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Emmons County | 3,215 | ▼ 0.3% | 200 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| LaMoure County | 4,135 | ▲ 4.9% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 1,859 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| McPherson County SD | 2,347 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
McIntosh County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McIntosh County, North Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in McIntosh County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc, KEM Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in McIntosh County?
2 operating plants with 400 MW of capacity. The largest is Badger Wind, LLC (250 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in McIntosh County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McIntosh County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dickey County.
Is McIntosh County adding jobs?
Employers counted 993 jobs in 2025 against 1,026 in 2019 (-3.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does McIntosh County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McIntosh County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.