McKenzie County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Watford City
No data center or power plant project is on record in McKenzie County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. McKenzie County is home to Watford City. Next door, Williams County has 1 data center and 1,518 MW of planned generation. 60 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly natural gas. Its power plants have 363 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in North Dakota. Employers here counted 11,760 jobs in 2025, down 4.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in McKenzie County
McKenzie County is home to Watford City.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): East Fairview, Four Bears Village, Mandaree.
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 McKenzie County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,778 | 15,192 | ▲ 2.8% | 10th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,339 | 11,760 | ▼ 4.7% | 38th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $82,238 | $92,072 | ▲ 12.0% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 417 | 169 | ▼ 59.5% | — |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 64 | 82 | ▲ 28.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 1.8% | 2.2% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 60 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving McKenzie 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. Unemployment was 2.2% in August 2026, against 1.8% in 2019. 15,192 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020, 10th of 53 North Dakota counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 169, down 59.5% since 2019 against up 11.4% statewide, at an average $126,810 a year.
Who powers McKenzie County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +60 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McKenzie 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% |
| McKenzie Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,382 | 7.86¢ | 31% |
| Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 799 | 8.95¢ | 2% |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 363 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lonesome Creek Station | Basin Electric Power Coop | Natural gas | 363 MW | 2013 |
The McKenzie County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,760 | $92,072 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 169 | $126,810 | 1.99 |
| Electric utilities | 82 | $120,214 | 2.58 |
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 McKenzie County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McKenzie County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
McKenzie County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border McKenzie County, Williams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | 15,192 | ▼ 4.7% | 363 MW | — | — | — |
| Billings County | 1,071 | ▲ 40.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Dunn County | 4,058 | ▼ 7.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Golden Valley County | 1,808 | ▲ 1.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Mountrail County | 9,395 | ▼ 14.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Richland County MT | 11,377 | ▼ 7.0% | 19 MW | — | — | — |
| Roosevelt County MT | 10,242 | ▼ 4.2% | 168 MW | — | — | — |
| Wibaux County MT | 885 | ▲ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Williams County | 41,767 | ▼ 10.4% | 1,346 MW | 1,518 MW | 1 | — |
More of North Dakota
McKenzie County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McKenzie County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in McKenzie County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc, Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 11.72¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in McKenzie County?
1 operating plant with 363 MW of capacity. The largest is Lonesome Creek Station (363 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in McKenzie County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McKenzie County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Williams County.
Is McKenzie County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,760 jobs in 2025 against 12,339 in 2019 (-4.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does McKenzie County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McKenzie County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.