Edmunds County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Deerfield Colony and Mina
No data center or power plant project is on record in Edmunds County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Edmunds County is home to Ipswich and Cortlandt Township. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,231 jobs in 2025, up 5.3% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Edmunds County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 4,022 people live here, up 1.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Edmunds County
Edmunds County is home to Ipswich and Cortlandt Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Deerfield Colony, Mina, Pembrook Colony, Plainview Colony.
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 Edmunds County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,982 | 4,022 | ▲ 1.0% | 41st of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,169 | 1,231 | ▲ 5.3% | 21st of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,186 | $54,300 | ▲ 35.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 40 | 80 | ▲ 100.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 1.8% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Who powers Edmunds County
Utilities with service territory in Edmunds 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% |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 6,367 | 14.59¢ | 48% |
| Northern Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,757 | 11.29¢ | 18% |
| FEM Electric Assn, 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 Edmunds County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Edmunds County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,231 | $54,300 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 80 | $68,445 | 1.23 |
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 Edmunds County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Edmunds County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Edmunds County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Edmunds County, Brown 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmunds County | 4,022 | ▲ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Brown County | 37,561 | ▼ 4.0% | 327 MW | 32 MW | — | — |
| Faulk County | 2,178 | ▲ 11.3% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| McPherson County | 2,347 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 2,377 | ▲ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Spink County | 6,155 | ▲ 0.7% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Walworth County | 5,217 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Edmunds County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Edmunds County, South Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Edmunds County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Northern Electric Coop, Inc, FEM Electric Assn, Inc. The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Edmunds County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Edmunds County.
Is Edmunds County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,231 jobs in 2025 against 1,169 in 2019 (+5.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 40 to 80.
Does Edmunds County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Edmunds County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.