Haakon County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Haakon 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. Haakon County is home to Philip. Next door, Pennington County has 2 data centers. Unemployment was 1.6% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 834 jobs in 2025, up 9.3% from 2019. West River Electric Assn Inc is the largest utility serving Haakon County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.25¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities.
Cities and towns in Haakon County
Haakon County is home to Philip.
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 Haakon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,869 | 1,802 | ▼ 3.6% | 60th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 763 | 834 | ▲ 9.3% | 12th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,526 | $52,467 | ▲ 32.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16 | 17 | ▲ 6.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 1.6% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
1,802 people live here, down 3.6% since 2020.
Who powers Haakon County
Utilities with service territory in Haakon County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West River Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,423 | 14.25¢ | 30% |
| West Central Electric Coop Inc - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Haakon County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Haakon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 834 | $52,467 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 17 | $42,721 | 0.38 |
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 Haakon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Haakon County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Haakon County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Haakon County, Pennington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haakon County | 1,802 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 2,666 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 913 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Meade County | 30,711 | ▲ 22.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pennington County | 116,792 | ▲ 8.8% | 278 MW | 100 MW | 2 | — |
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Haakon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Haakon County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Haakon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: West River Electric Assn Inc, West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD), WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, West River Electric Assn Inc, charged residential customers 14.25¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Haakon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Haakon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pennington County.
Is Haakon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 834 jobs in 2025 against 763 in 2019 (+9.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 16 to 17.
Does Haakon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Haakon County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.