Wells County, North Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harvey
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wells County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wells County is home to Harvey. Next door, Stutsman County has 1 data center. Otter Tail Power Co is the largest utility serving Wells County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.38¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 1,446 jobs in 2025, up 1.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.4% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Wells County
Wells County is home to Harvey.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Heimdal.
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 Wells County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in North Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,963 | 3,729 | ▼ 5.9% | 28th of 53 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,429 | 1,446 | ▲ 1.2% | 20th of 53 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,078 | $49,547 | ▲ 30.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 44 | 40 | ▼ 9.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.4% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
3,729 people live here, down 5.9% since 2020.
Who powers Wells County
Utilities with service territory in Wells 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% |
| Verendrye Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 14,336 | 10.70¢ | 24% |
| Northern Plains Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,393 | 10.65¢ | 17% |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Wells County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Wells County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,446 | $49,547 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 40 | $46,166 | 0.52 |
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 Wells County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wells County. North Dakota has 5 local measures on record statewide.
Wells County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Wells County, Stutsman 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells County | 3,729 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Benson County | 5,759 | ▲ 3.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Eddy County | 2,329 | ▼ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Foster County | 3,212 | ▼ 3.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Kidder County | 2,393 | ▲ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Pierce County | 3,838 | ▼ 2.4% | 149 MW | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County | 1,296 | ▼ 8.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Stutsman County | 21,414 | ▲ 2.2% | 354 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of North Dakota
Wells County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wells County, North Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Wells County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Otter Tail Power Co, Verendrye Electric Coop Inc, Northern Plains Electric Coop, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Otter Tail Power Co, charged residential customers 11.38¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Wells County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wells County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Stutsman County.
Is Wells County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,446 jobs in 2025 against 1,429 in 2019 (+1.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 44 to 40.
Does Wells County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wells County. North Dakota has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.