Dewey County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Green Grass and La Plant
Dewey 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. Dewey County is home to most of Eagle Butte (661 of its 1,269 residents) and Timber Lake. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 7.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,348 jobs in 2025, up 5.5% from 2019. Moreau-Grand Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Dewey County, one of 2 with territory here. 5,419 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Dewey County
Dewey County is home to most of Eagle Butte (661 of its 1,269 residents) and Timber Lake.
- Eagle Butte also extends into Ziebach County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Green Grass, La Plant, Lantry, North Eagle Butte, Swift Bird, Whitehorse.
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 Dewey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,223 | 5,419 | ▲ 3.8% | 33rd of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,225 | 2,348 | ▲ 5.5% | 20th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,683 | $55,096 | ▲ 35.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.0% | 5.1% | ▼ 1.9pts | — |
Who powers Dewey County
Utilities with service territory in Dewey County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moreau-Grand Electric Coop 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 Dewey County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Dewey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,348 | $55,096 | 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 Dewey County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Dewey County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Dewey County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Dewey County, Stanley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Corson County | 3,781 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Haakon County | 1,802 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 2,377 | ▲ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Sully County | 1,479 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Walworth County | 5,217 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Dewey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Dewey County, South Dakota?
2 utilities have service territory in Dewey County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Moreau-Grand Electric Coop Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
Are there data centers in Dewey County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Dewey County.
Is Dewey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,348 jobs in 2025 against 2,225 in 2019 (+5.5%, BLS QCEW).
Does Dewey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Dewey County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.