Aurora County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Aurora Center and Storla
No data center or power plant project is on record in Aurora County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Aurora County is home to Plankinton. Employers here counted 801 jobs in 2025, down 14.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 1.6% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Aurora County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Aurora County
Aurora County is home to Plankinton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Aurora Center, Storla.
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 Aurora County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,730 | 2,801 | ▲ 2.6% | 50th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 932 | 801 | ▼ 14.1% | 66th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,039 | $42,616 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 1.6% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
2,801 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Aurora County
Utilities with service territory in Aurora County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy - (SD) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 51,467 | 12.56¢ | 40% |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,483 | 13.64¢ | 8% |
| Douglas Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Plankinton - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 99% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora County Wind | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 20 MW | 2018 |
The Aurora County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 801 | $42,616 | 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 Aurora County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Aurora County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Aurora County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Aurora County, Charles Mix 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora County | 2,801 | ▼ 14.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Brule County | 5,278 | ▲ 3.8% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Charles Mix County | 9,303 | ▲ 4.4% | 320 MW | — | — | — |
| Davison County | 20,069 | ▲ 2.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Douglas County | 2,888 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Jerauld County | 1,654 | ▲ 5.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Sanborn County | 2,388 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Aurora County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Aurora County, South Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Aurora County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD), Douglas Electric Coop, Inc, City of Plankinton - (SD). The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Aurora County?
1 operating plant with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Aurora County Wind (20 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Aurora County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Aurora County.
Is Aurora County adding jobs?
Employers counted 801 jobs in 2025 against 932 in 2019 (-14.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Aurora County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Aurora County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.