Sanborn County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Forestburg and Upland Colony
No data center or power plant project is on record in Sanborn County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Sanborn County is home to Woonsocket. Employers here counted 626 jobs in 2025, up 13.2% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 66 South Dakota counties). Electrical contractors employ 10, up 25.0% since 2019 against up 38.0% statewide, at an average $55,297 a year. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Sanborn 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. Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Sanborn County
Sanborn County is home to Woonsocket.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Forestburg, Upland 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 Sanborn County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,330 | 2,388 | ▲ 2.5% | 53rd of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 553 | 626 | ▲ 13.2% | 8th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,130 | $44,664 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8 | 10 | ▲ 25.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 1.9% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
2,388 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020.
Who powers Sanborn County
Utilities with service territory in Sanborn 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% |
| NorthWestern Energy - (SD) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 51,467 | 12.56¢ | 40% |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,483 | 13.64¢ | 8% |
| Dakota Energy Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 3,224 | 15.30¢ | 18% |
| 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 Sanborn County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Sanborn County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 626 | $44,664 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 68 | $66,826 | 2.05 |
| Electrical contractors | 10 | $55,297 | 2.22 |
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 Sanborn County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Sanborn County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Sanborn County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Sanborn County, Jerauld 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanborn County | 2,388 | ▲ 13.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Aurora County | 2,801 | ▼ 14.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Beadle County | 19,624 | ▼ 1.5% | 69 MW | — | — | — |
| Davison County | 20,069 | ▲ 2.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Hanson County | 3,456 | ▲ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Jerauld County | 1,654 | ▲ 5.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Kingsbury County | 5,284 | ▲ 3.3% | 24 MW | — | — | — |
| Miner County | 2,281 | ▲ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Sanborn County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Sanborn County, South Dakota?
5 utilities have service territory in Sanborn County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD), Dakota Energy Coop Inc. The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 13.87¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Sanborn County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Sanborn County.
Is Sanborn County adding jobs?
Employers counted 626 jobs in 2025 against 553 in 2019 (+13.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Sanborn County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Sanborn County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.