Rolette County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rolla
No data center or power plant project is on record in Rolette County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Rolette County is home to Rolla and Dunseith. Electrical contractors employ 19, up 58.3% since 2019 against up 11.4% statewide, at an average $74,019 a year. Construction employs 157, down 23.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 4,666 jobs in 2025, up 7.1% from 2019 (the 5th fastest growth of 53 North Dakota counties). Its power plants have 150 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Rolette County
Rolette County is home to Rolla and Dunseith.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Belcourt, East Dunseith, Green Acres, Shell Valley.
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 Rolette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,185 | 11,688 | ▼ 4.1% | 11th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,357 | 4,666 | ▲ 7.1% | 5th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,716 | $53,596 | ▲ 31.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 206 | 157 | ▼ 23.8% | 19th of 20 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12 | 19 | ▲ 58.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.0% | 6.5% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 6.5% in August 2026, against 7.0% in 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Rolette County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 11,688 people live here, down 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Rolette County
Utilities with service territory in Rolette 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% |
| Northern Plains Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,393 | 10.65¢ | 17% |
| North Central Elec Coop, Inc - (ND) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,061 | 10.90¢ | 36% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 150 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Winds Wind Farm | Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Wind | 150 MW | 2015 |
The Rolette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,666 | $53,596 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 157 | $57,595 | 0.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 19 | $74,019 | 0.56 |
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 Rolette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rolette County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Rolette County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Rolette County, Pierce 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolette County | 11,688 | ▲ 7.1% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Bottineau County | 6,284 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Pierce County | 3,838 | ▼ 2.4% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Towner County | 2,040 | ▼ 10.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Rolette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rolette County, North Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Rolette County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Northern Plains Electric Coop, North Central Elec Coop, Inc - (ND). The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Rolette County?
1 operating plant with 150 MW of capacity. The largest is Border Winds Wind Farm (150 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Rolette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rolette County.
Is Rolette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,666 jobs in 2025 against 4,357 in 2019 (+7.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 206 to 157.
Does Rolette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rolette County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.