Hamlin County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Claremont Colony and Lake Poinsett
Hamlin 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. Construction employs 540, up 69.8% since 2019, and construction is 3.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 2,703 jobs in 2025, up 29.0% from 2019 (the fastest growth of 66 South Dakota counties). Hamlin County is home to Estelline, Castlewood, Norden Township and Lake Norden. Unemployment was 1.5% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. 6,900 people live here, up 11.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Hamlin County
Hamlin County is home to Estelline, Castlewood, Norden Township and Lake Norden.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Claremont Colony, Lake Poinsett, Poinsett 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 Hamlin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,169 | 6,900 | ▲ 11.8% | 27th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,096 | 2,703 | ▲ 29.0% | 1st of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,649 | $58,566 | ▲ 44.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 318 | 540 | ▲ 69.8% | 3rd of 31 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 1.5% | ▼ 1.4pts | — |
Electrical contractors employ 65, at an average $73,783 a year. NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Hamlin County, one of 9 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Hamlin County
Utilities with service territory in Hamlin 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% |
| Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,213 | 12.94¢ | 6% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 9,048 | 10.93¢ | 78% |
| City of Bryant - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Codington-Clark Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Estelline - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| H-D Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Kingsbury 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 Hamlin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Hamlin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,703 | $58,566 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 540 | $68,749 | 3.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 65 | $73,783 | 3.33 |
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 Hamlin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hamlin County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Hamlin County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Hamlin County, Deuel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamlin County | 6,900 | ▲ 29.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Brookings County | 37,635 | ▲ 5.2% | 682 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Clark County | 4,031 | ▲ 14.7% | 222 MW | — | — | — |
| Codington County | 29,562 | ▲ 6.3% | 468 MW | — | — | — |
| Deuel County | 4,408 | ▲ 14.4% | 803 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Kingsbury County | 5,284 | ▲ 3.3% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Hamlin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hamlin County, South Dakota?
9 utilities have service territory in Hamlin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop, Otter Tail Power Co, City of Bryant - (SD). The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Hamlin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hamlin County.
Is Hamlin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,703 jobs in 2025 against 2,096 in 2019 (+29.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 318 to 540.
Does Hamlin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hamlin County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.