Sheridan County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Denhoff
Sheridan 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. Sheridan County is home to McClusky, Goodrich and Martin Township. Unemployment was 2.5% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Next door, Burleigh County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 219 jobs in 2025, down 8.4% from 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Sheridan County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Sheridan County
Sheridan County is home to McClusky, Goodrich and Martin Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Denhoff.
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 Sheridan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,262 | 1,296 | ▲ 2.7% | 51st of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 239 | 219 | ▼ 8.4% | 45th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $27,133 | $37,436 | ▲ 38.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 2.5% | ▼ 2.0pts | — |
1,296 people live here, up 2.7% since 2020.
Who powers Sheridan County
Utilities with service territory in Sheridan 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% |
| Capital Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,530 | 12.31¢ | 38% |
| Verendrye Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,336 | 10.70¢ | 24% |
| McLean Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,711 | 14.25¢ | 23% |
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 Sheridan County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Sheridan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 219 | $37,436 | 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 Sheridan County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sheridan County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Sheridan County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Sheridan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheridan County | 1,296 | ▼ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Burleigh County | 103,251 | ▲ 3.8% | 201 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Kidder County | 2,393 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| McHenry County | 5,130 | ▲ 2.3% | 112 MW | — | — | — |
| McLean County | 9,740 | ▲ 2.6% | 1,216 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pierce County | 3,838 | ▼ 2.4% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Wells County | 3,729 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Sheridan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sheridan County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Sheridan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Capital Electric Coop, Inc, Verendrye Electric Coop Inc, McLean Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Sheridan County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sheridan County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Burleigh County.
Is Sheridan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 219 jobs in 2025 against 239 in 2019 (-8.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sheridan County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sheridan County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.