Steele County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Steele 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. Steele County is home to Finley, Hope and Sharon. Next door, Cass County has 7 data centers. Employers here counted 531 jobs in 2025, down 9.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019. Its power plants have 170 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Steele County
Steele County is home to Finley, Hope and Sharon.
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 Steele County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,798 | 1,797 | ▼ 0.1% | 50th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 584 | 531 | ▼ 9.1% | 46th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $52,338 | $64,423 | ▲ 23.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 87 | 84 | ▼ 3.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 3.2% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Steele County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 1,797 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Steele County
Utilities with service territory in Steele 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% |
| City of Hope - (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Sharon- (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 170 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashtabula Wind II LLC | Ashtabula Wind II LLC | Wind | 120 MW | 2009 |
| Luverne Wind Energy Center | Otter Tail Power Co | Wind | 50 MW | 2009 |
The Steele County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 531 | $64,423 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 84 | $85,213 | 2.99 |
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 Steele County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Steele County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Barnes County, Cass County.
Steele County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Steele County, Cass 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele County | 1,797 | ▼ 9.1% | 170 MW | — | — | — |
| Barnes County | 10,573 | ▼ 1.1% | 259 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Cass County | 201,794 | ▲ 7.1% | 4 MW | — | 7 | 1 |
| Grand Forks County | 74,501 | ▲ 3.1% | — | — | 3 | — |
| Griggs County | 2,239 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Nelson County | 2,963 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Traill County | 7,920 | ▲ 4.9% | 17 MW | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Steele County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Steele County, North Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Steele County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Nodak Electric Coop Inc, City of Hope - (ND), City of Sharon- (ND). The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Steele County?
2 operating plants with 170 MW of capacity. The largest is Ashtabula Wind II LLC (120 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Steele County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Steele County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cass County.
Is Steele County adding jobs?
Employers counted 531 jobs in 2025 against 584 in 2019 (-9.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 87 to 84.
Does Steele County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Steele County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.