Perkins County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lemmon
No data center or power plant project is on record in Perkins County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Perkins County is home to Lemmon. Employers here counted 1,076 jobs in 2025, down 3.0% from 2019. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Perkins County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.59¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. Unemployment was 2.0% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. 2,853 people live here, up 0.8% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Perkins County
Perkins County is home to Lemmon.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Prairie City.
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 Perkins County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,829 | 2,853 | ▲ 0.8% | 49th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,109 | 1,076 | ▼ 3.0% | 53rd of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,091 | $43,599 | ▲ 31.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 50 | 56 | ▲ 12.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 2.0% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
Who powers Perkins County
Utilities with service territory in Perkins County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 6,367 | 14.59¢ | 48% |
| Grand Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 Perkins County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Perkins County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,076 | $43,599 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 56 | $55,062 | 0.98 |
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 Perkins County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Perkins County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Perkins County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Perkins County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perkins County | 2,853 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County ND | 2,275 | ▼ 11.5% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Butte County | 10,856 | ▲ 3.2% | 105 MW | — | — | — |
| Corson County | 3,781 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Harding County | 1,331 | ▼ 5.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Meade County | 30,711 | ▲ 22.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Sioux County ND | 3,667 | ▼ 1.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Perkins County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Perkins County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Perkins County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Grand Electric Coop, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, charged residential customers 14.59¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Perkins County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Perkins County.
Is Perkins County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,076 jobs in 2025 against 1,109 in 2019 (-3.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 50 to 56.
Does Perkins County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Perkins County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.