Bon Homme County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Springfield and Tyndall
No data center or power plant project is on record in Bon Homme County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Bon Homme County is home to Springfield, Tyndall, Scotland and Avon. Next door, Yankton County has 2 data centers. Its power plants have 80 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Employers here counted 1,680 jobs in 2025, down 2.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.3% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Bon Homme County
Bon Homme County is home to Springfield, Tyndall, Scotland and Avon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bon Homme Colony, Running Water.
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 Bon Homme County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,981 | 7,244 | ▲ 3.8% | 26th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,730 | 1,680 | ▼ 2.9% | 52nd of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,715 | $50,298 | ▲ 40.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.3% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Bon Homme County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 7,244 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Bon Homme County
Utilities with service territory in Bon Homme 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% |
| Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,160 | 12.41¢ | 26% |
| Bon Homme Yankton El Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Charles Mix Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Tyndall - (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 | 80 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beethoven Wind | NorthWestern Energy - (SD) | Wind | 80 MW | 2015 |
The Bon Homme County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,680 | $50,298 | 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 Bon Homme County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Bon Homme County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Yankton County.
Bon Homme County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Bon Homme County, Yankton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bon Homme County | 7,244 | ▼ 2.9% | 80 MW | — | — | — |
| Charles Mix County | 9,303 | ▲ 4.4% | 320 MW | — | — | — |
| Hutchinson County | 7,413 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Knox County NE | 8,335 | ▲ 0.3% | 121 MW | — | — | — |
| Yankton County | 23,635 | ▼ 0.2% | 233 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
More of South Dakota
Bon Homme County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Bon Homme County, South Dakota?
6 utilities have service territory in Bon Homme County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD), Bon Homme Yankton El Assn, Inc, Charles Mix Electric Assn, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Bon Homme County?
1 operating plant with 80 MW of capacity. The largest is Beethoven Wind (80 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Bon Homme County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Bon Homme County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Yankton County.
Is Bon Homme County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,680 jobs in 2025 against 1,730 in 2019 (-2.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Bon Homme County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Bon Homme County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.