Jones County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Okaton
Jones 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. Jones County is home to Murdo. Employers here counted 407 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019. West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD) is the largest utility serving Jones County, one of 2 with territory here. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 913 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Jones County
Jones County is home to Murdo.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Okaton.
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 Jones County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 927 | 913 | ▼ 1.5% | 66th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 420 | 407 | ▼ 3.1% | 54th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,709 | $34,897 | ▲ 13.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 3.1% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
Who powers Jones County
Utilities with service territory in Jones County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Jones County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Jones County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 407 | $34,897 | 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 Jones County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jones County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Jones County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jones 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County | 913 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Haakon County | 1,802 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 2,666 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Mellette County | 2,137 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Jones County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jones County, South Dakota?
2 utilities have service territory in Jones County in the EIA-861 2024 report: West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD), WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
Are there data centers in Jones County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jones County.
Is Jones County adding jobs?
Employers counted 407 jobs in 2025 against 420 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Jones County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jones County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.