Stutsman County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jamestown
Stutsman County sits inside the data center build-out. Construction employs 627, up 60.8% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Stutsman County, 4% of North Dakota's total. Stutsman County is home to Jamestown, Bloom Township and Midway Township. Its power plants have 354 MW of capacity, 56% of it wind, the 8th largest fleet in North Dakota. Employers here counted 11,132 jobs in 2025, up 2.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Stutsman County
Stutsman County is home to Jamestown, Bloom Township and Midway Township.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Spiritwood, Ypsilanti.
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 Stutsman County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,544 | 21,414 | ▼ 0.6% | 8th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,891 | 11,132 | ▲ 2.2% | 18th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,729 | $59,063 | ▲ 32.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 390 | 627 | ▲ 60.8% | 2nd of 20 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 1.9% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Stutsman County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019. 21,414 people live here, down 0.6% since 2020, 8th of 53 North Dakota counties by population.
Who powers Stutsman County
Utilities with service territory in Stutsman 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% |
| Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,721 | 12.01¢ | 1% |
| 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 200 MW | 56% |
| Natural gas | 106 MW | 30% |
| Petroleum | 48 MW | 14% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtenay Wind Farm | Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Wind | 200 MW | 2016 |
| Spiritwood Station | Great River Energy | Natural gas | 106 MW | 2014 |
| Jamestown | Otter Tail Power Co | Petroleum | 48 MW | 1976 |
The Stutsman County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,132 | $59,063 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 627 | $74,637 | 1.06 |
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 Stutsman County
1 data center in Stutsman County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Stutsman County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Stutsman County, Barnes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stutsman County | 21,414 | ▲ 2.2% | 354 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Barnes County | 10,573 | ▼ 1.1% | 259 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Foster County | 3,212 | ▼ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Griggs County | 2,239 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Kidder County | 2,393 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| LaMoure County | 4,135 | ▲ 4.9% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Logan County | 1,859 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Wells County | 3,729 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Stutsman County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stutsman County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Stutsman County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Northern Plains Electric Coop, Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Jamestown, ND in?
Jamestown is in Stutsman County, North Dakota. About 15,688 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Stutsman County?
3 operating plants with 354 MW of capacity. The largest is Courtenay Wind Farm (200 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Stutsman County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Stutsman County.
Is Stutsman County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,132 jobs in 2025 against 10,891 in 2019 (+2.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 390 to 627.
Does Stutsman County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stutsman County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.