Mellette County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Corn Creek and Horse Creek
No data center or power plant project is on record in Mellette County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Mellette County is home to White River. Unemployment was 6.2% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. 2,137 people live here, up 11.5% since 2020. Employers here counted 336 jobs in 2025, up 3.7% from 2019. Rosebud Electric Coop Inc is the largest utility serving Mellette County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 10.63¢/kWh in 2024, below the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities.
Cities and towns in Mellette County
Mellette County is home to White River.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Corn Creek, Horse Creek, Norris.
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 Mellette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 1,917 | 2,137 | ▲ 11.5% | 58th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 324 | 336 | ▲ 3.7% | 30th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $27,233 | $38,692 | ▲ 42.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 6.2% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
Who powers Mellette County
Utilities with service territory in Mellette 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% |
| Cherry-Todd Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| LaCreek Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Mellette County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Mellette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 336 | $38,692 | 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 Mellette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mellette County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Mellette County and its neighbors
None of the 6 counties bordering Mellette County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mellette County | 2,137 | ▲ 3.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bennett County | 3,307 | ▲ 0.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 2,666 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 913 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Todd County | 8,863 | ▼ 4.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Tripp County | 5,708 | ▲ 3.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Mellette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mellette County, South Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Mellette County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Rosebud Electric Coop Inc, Cherry-Todd Electric Coop, Inc, LaCreek Electric Assn, Inc, West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD). The largest, Rosebud Electric Coop Inc, charged residential customers 10.63¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Mellette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mellette County.
Is Mellette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 336 jobs in 2025 against 324 in 2019 (+3.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Mellette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mellette County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.