Corson County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bullhead and Kenel
Corson 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. Corson County is home to McLaughlin. Unemployment was 7.4% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 755 jobs in 2025, down 4.4% from 2019. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Corson County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. 3,781 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Corson County
Corson County is home to McLaughlin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bullhead, Kenel, Little Eagle, Wakpala.
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 Corson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,891 | 3,781 | ▼ 2.8% | 42nd of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 790 | 755 | ▼ 4.4% | 59th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,892 | $50,820 | ▲ 34.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 7.4% | ▲ 2.0pts | — |
Who powers Corson County
Utilities with service territory in Corson County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 6,367 | 14.59¢ | 48% |
| City of McLaughlin - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Moreau-Grand Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Corson County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Corson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 755 | $50,820 | 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 Corson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Corson County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Corson County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Corson County, Emmons 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corson County | 3,781 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County ND | 2,275 | ▼ 11.5% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Campbell County | 1,377 | ▼ 5.3% | 94 MW | — | — | — |
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Emmons County ND | 3,215 | ▼ 0.3% | 200 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| Perkins County | 2,853 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Sioux County ND | 3,667 | ▼ 1.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Walworth County | 5,217 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Corson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Corson County, South Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Corson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, City of McLaughlin - (SD), Grand Electric Coop, Inc, Moreau-Grand Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Corson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Corson County.
Is Corson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 755 jobs in 2025 against 790 in 2019 (-4.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Corson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Corson County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.