Lake County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Madison
Lake 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. Lake County is home to Madison, Lake View Township, Chester Township and Herman Township. Next door, Minnehaha County has 6 data centers. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Construction employs 229, up 1.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 5,142 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Lake County
Lake County is home to Madison, Lake View Township, Chester Township and Herman Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brant Lake South, Chester, Graceville Colony, Lake Madison, Rustic Acres Colony, Winfred.
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 Lake County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,015 | 10,993 | ▼ 0.2% | 16th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,037 | 5,142 | ▲ 2.1% | 39th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,843 | $59,153 | ▲ 38.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 225 | 229 | ▲ 1.8% | 28th of 31 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 57 | 22 | ▼ 61.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 1.8% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Lake County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.87¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. 10,993 people live here, down 0.2% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 22, down 61.4% since 2019 against up 38.0% statewide, at an average $47,479 a year.
Who powers Lake County
Utilities with service territory in Lake County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Investor Owned | Bundled | 92,204 | 13.87¢ | 45% |
| Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,213 | 12.94¢ | 6% |
| Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,160 | 12.41¢ | 26% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 9,048 | 10.93¢ | 78% |
| City of Madison - (SD) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,802 | 11.49¢ | 34% |
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 Lake County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lake County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,142 | $59,153 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 229 | $70,312 | 0.84 |
| Electrical contractors | 22 | $47,479 | 0.59 |
| Data processing and hosting | 6 | $167,897 | 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 Lake County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lake County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Minnehaha County.
Lake County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lake County, Minnehaha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 10,993 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Brookings County | 37,635 | ▲ 5.2% | 682 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Kingsbury County | 5,284 | ▲ 3.3% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| McCook County | 5,964 | ▲ 8.9% | — | 99 MW | — | — |
| Miner County | 2,281 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Minnehaha County | 212,691 | ▲ 8.7% | 406 MW | — | 6 | 1 |
| Moody County | 6,632 | ▼ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Lake County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lake County, South Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Lake County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop, Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD), Otter Tail Power Co. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 13.87¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Lake County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lake County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Minnehaha County.
Is Lake County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,142 jobs in 2025 against 5,037 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 225 to 229.
Does Lake County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lake County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.