Bennett County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Allen
Bennett 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. Construction employs 136, up 27.1% since 2019, and construction is 3.0 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Bennett County is home to Martin. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. LaCreek Electric Assn, Inc is the largest utility serving Bennett County, one of 2 with territory here. Employers here counted 844 jobs in 2025, up 0.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Bennett County
Bennett County is home to Martin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Allen.
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 Bennett County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,397 | 3,307 | ▼ 2.6% | 45th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 840 | 844 | ▲ 0.5% | 43rd of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,356 | $44,075 | ▲ 28.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 107 | 136 | ▲ 27.1% | 11th of 31 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
3,307 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Bennett County
Utilities with service territory in Bennett County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaCreek Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Bennett County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Bennett County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 844 | $44,075 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 136 | $47,007 | 3.04 |
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 Bennett County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bennett County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Cherry County.
Bennett County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Bennett County, Cherry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett County | 3,307 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Cherry County NE | 5,561 | ▼ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jackson County | 2,666 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Mellette County | 2,137 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Oglala Lakota County | 13,338 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Sheridan County NE | 4,809 | ▲ 2.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Todd County | 8,863 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Bennett County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bennett County, South Dakota?
2 utilities have service territory in Bennett County in the EIA-861 2024 report: LaCreek Electric Assn, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
Are there data centers in Bennett County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bennett County.
Is Bennett County adding jobs?
Employers counted 844 jobs in 2025 against 840 in 2019 (+0.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 107 to 136.
Does Bennett County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bennett County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.