Walsh County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grafton and Park River
No data center or power plant project is on record in Walsh County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Walsh County is home to Grafton, Park River and Minto. Electrical contractors employ 45, up 28.6% since 2019 against up 11.4% statewide, at an average $79,678 a year. Next door, Grand Forks County has 3 data centers. Construction employs 153, up 12.5% since 2019. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Walsh County
Walsh County is home to Grafton, Park River and Minto.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Auburn, Nash.
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 Walsh County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,532 | 10,179 | ▼ 3.4% | 14th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,869 | 4,730 | ▼ 2.9% | 32nd of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,063 | $56,696 | ▲ 34.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 136 | 153 | ▲ 12.5% | 11th of 20 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 35 | 45 | ▲ 28.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 2.9% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 4,730 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Walsh County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. 10,179 people live here, down 3.4% since 2020. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Who powers Walsh County
Utilities with service territory in Walsh 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 Grafton - (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Park River - (ND) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grafton | City of Grafton - (ND) | Petroleum | 4 MW | 1937 |
The Walsh County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,730 | $56,696 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 153 | $65,120 | 0.61 |
| Electrical contractors | 45 | $79,678 | 1.32 |
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 Walsh County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Walsh County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Walsh County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Walsh County, Grand Forks 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walsh County | 10,179 | ▼ 2.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Cavalier County | 3,497 | ▼ 6.1% | 200 MW | — | — | — |
| Grand Forks County | 74,501 | ▲ 3.1% | — | — | 3 | — |
| Marshall County MN | 8,798 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Nelson County | 2,963 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pembina County | 6,568 | ▼ 4.7% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Ramsey County | 11,530 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
More of North Dakota
Walsh County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Walsh County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Walsh County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Nodak Electric Coop Inc, City of Grafton - (ND), City of Park River - (ND). The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Walsh County?
1 operating plant with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Grafton (4 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Walsh County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Walsh County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Grand Forks County.
Is Walsh County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,730 jobs in 2025 against 4,869 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 136 to 153.
Does Walsh County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Walsh County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.