Ramsey County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Devils Lake and Creel Township
Ramsey 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. Electrical contractors employ 41, up 173.3% since 2019 against up 11.4% statewide, at an average $99,327 a year. Ramsey County is home to Devils Lake and Creel Township. Construction employs 194, up 29.3% since 2019. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 5,524 jobs in 2025, down 2.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Ramsey County
Ramsey County is home to Devils Lake and Creel Township.
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 Ramsey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,574 | 11,530 | ▼ 0.4% | 12th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,667 | 5,524 | ▼ 2.5% | 31st of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,065 | $52,177 | ▲ 27.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 150 | 194 | ▲ 29.3% | 7th of 20 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 15 | 41 | ▲ 173.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 1.8% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Ramsey County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 11,530 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Ramsey County
Utilities with service territory in Ramsey 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% |
| Nodak Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,803 | 12.08¢ | 42% |
| Northern Plains Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,393 | 10.65¢ | 17% |
| Cavalier Rural Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 Ramsey County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ramsey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,524 | $52,177 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 194 | $61,396 | 0.66 |
| Electrical contractors | 41 | $99,327 | 1.03 |
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 Ramsey County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ramsey County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Ramsey County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Ramsey County, Cavalier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsey County | 11,530 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Benson County | 5,759 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Cavalier County | 3,497 | ▼ 6.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Nelson County | 2,963 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Towner County | 2,040 | ▼ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Walsh County | 10,179 | ▼ 2.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Ramsey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ramsey County, North Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Ramsey County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Nodak Electric Coop Inc, Northern Plains Electric Coop, Cavalier Rural Elec Coop, Inc. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Ramsey County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ramsey County.
Is Ramsey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,524 jobs in 2025 against 5,667 in 2019 (-2.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 150 to 194.
Does Ramsey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ramsey County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.