Marshall County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Britton
No data center or power plant project is on record in Marshall County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Marshall County is home to Britton. Next door, Richland County, North Dakota, has 295 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 1,675 jobs in 2025, up 4.7% from 2019. NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Marshall County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Marshall County
Marshall County is home to Britton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Clear Lake, Kidder, Newport Colony, Sunset Colony, Westwood 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 Marshall County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,301 | 4,426 | ▲ 2.9% | 37th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,600 | 1,675 | ▲ 4.7% | 24th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,197 | $55,196 | ▲ 34.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 101 | 81 | ▼ 19.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 1.8% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
4,426 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Marshall County
Utilities with service territory in Marshall 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% |
| Otter Tail Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 9,048 | 10.93¢ | 78% |
| Northern Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,757 | 11.29¢ | 18% |
| Lake Region Electric Assn, Inc - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Traverse Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Town of Langford- (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 Marshall County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Marshall County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,675 | $55,196 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 81 | $51,170 | 0.91 |
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 Marshall County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marshall County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Marshall County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Marshall County, Richland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 4,426 | ▲ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Brown County | 37,561 | ▼ 4.0% | 327 MW | 32 MW | — | — |
| Day County | 5,484 | ▲ 4.6% | 99 MW | — | — | — |
| Richland County ND | 16,731 | ▲ 0.9% | 2 MW | 295 MW | — | — |
| Roberts County | 10,255 | ▼ 4.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Sargent County ND | 3,711 | ▼ 27.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Marshall County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marshall County, South Dakota?
7 utilities have service territory in Marshall County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Otter Tail Power Co, Northern Electric Coop, Inc, Lake Region Electric Assn, Inc - (SD). The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Marshall County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marshall County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Richland County.
Is Marshall County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,675 jobs in 2025 against 1,600 in 2019 (+4.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 101 to 81.
Does Marshall County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marshall County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.