Lyman County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lower Brule and Vivian
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lyman County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lyman County is home to Presho, Oacoma and Kennebec. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,346 jobs in 2025, down 2.2% from 2019. Rosebud Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Lyman County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. 3,694 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Lyman County
Lyman County is home to Presho, Oacoma and Kennebec.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lower Brule, Vivian, West Brule.
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 Lyman County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,697 | 3,694 | ▼ 0.1% | 43rd of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,376 | 1,346 | ▼ 2.2% | 47th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $30,923 | $40,362 | ▲ 30.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 31 | 33 | ▲ 6.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.1% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
Who powers Lyman County
Utilities with service territory in Lyman County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosebud Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,856 | 10.63¢ | 27% |
| 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 Lyman County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lyman County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,346 | $40,362 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 33 | $28,764 | 0.46 |
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 Lyman County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lyman County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Lyman County and its neighbors
Of the 10 counties that border Lyman County, Hughes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Brule County | 5,278 | ▲ 3.8% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County | 1,802 | ▲ 8.2% | 538 MW | — | — | — |
| Charles Mix County | 9,303 | ▲ 4.4% | 320 MW | — | — | — |
| Gregory County | 4,037 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Hughes County | 17,570 | ▲ 0.7% | 787 MW | — | — | — |
| Hyde County | 1,191 | ▼ 2.7% | 491 MW | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 913 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Mellette County | 2,137 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Tripp County | 5,708 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Lyman County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lyman County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Lyman County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Rosebud Electric Coop Inc, West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD), WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Rosebud Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Lyman County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lyman County.
Is Lyman County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,346 jobs in 2025 against 1,376 in 2019 (-2.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 31 to 33.
Does Lyman County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lyman County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.