Buffalo County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Thompson and Gann Valley
Buffalo 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. Buffalo County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Fort Thompson, Gann Valley, are unincorporated and governed by the county. Employers here counted 530 jobs in 2025, up 8.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 538 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro, the 5th largest fleet in South Dakota. Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD) is the largest utility serving Buffalo County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.64¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. 1,802 people live here, down 6.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Buffalo County
Buffalo County has no incorporated cities or towns. Its communities, including Fort Thompson, Gann Valley, are unincorporated and governed by the county.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fort Thompson, Gann Valley.
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 Buffalo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,933 | 1,802 | ▼ 6.8% | 59th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 490 | 530 | ▲ 8.2% | 16th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,499 | $53,513 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.9% | 5.7% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 5.9% in 2019.
Who powers Buffalo County
Utilities with service territory in Buffalo County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,483 | 13.64¢ | 8% |
| Dakota Energy Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,224 | 15.30¢ | 18% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 538 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend Dam | USACE-Omaha | Hydro | 538 MW | 1964 |
The Buffalo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 530 | $53,513 | 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 Buffalo County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Buffalo County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Buffalo County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Buffalo County, Hyde 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | 1,802 | ▲ 8.2% | 538 MW | — | — | — |
| Brule County | 5,278 | ▲ 3.8% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Hand County | 3,121 | ▲ 4.7% | 226 MW | — | — | — |
| Hyde County | 1,191 | ▼ 2.7% | 491 MW | — | — | — |
| Jerauld County | 1,654 | ▲ 5.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Buffalo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Buffalo County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Buffalo County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD), Dakota Energy Coop Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD), charged residential customers 13.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Buffalo County?
1 operating plant with 538 MW of capacity. The largest is Big Bend Dam (538 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Buffalo County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Buffalo County.
Is Buffalo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 530 jobs in 2025 against 490 in 2019 (+8.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Buffalo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Buffalo County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.