Stanley County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fort Pierre
No data center or power plant project is on record in Stanley County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 307, up 20.4% since 2019, and construction is 4.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Stanley County is home to Fort Pierre. Employers here counted 1,327 jobs in 2025, up 12.8% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 66 South Dakota counties). Unemployment was 1.9% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Stanley County
Stanley County is home to Fort Pierre.
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 Stanley County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,966 | 3,018 | ▲ 1.8% | 47th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,176 | 1,327 | ▲ 12.8% | 9th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,339 | $49,044 | ▲ 31.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 255 | 307 | ▲ 20.4% | 16th of 31 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 1.9% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
City of Fort Pierre - (SD) is the largest utility serving Stanley County, one of 3 with territory here. 3,018 people live here, up 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Stanley County
Utilities with service territory in Stanley County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Fort Pierre - (SD) | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ft. Pierre | City of Fort Pierre - (SD) | Petroleum | 6 MW | 2004 |
The Stanley County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,327 | $49,044 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 307 | $72,182 | 4.37 |
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 Stanley County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stanley County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Stanley County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Stanley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Haakon County | 1,802 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Hughes County | 17,570 | ▲ 0.7% | 787 MW | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 913 | ▼ 3.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Sully County | 1,479 | ▼ 9.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Stanley County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stanley County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Stanley County in the EIA-861 2024 report: City of Fort Pierre - (SD), West Central Electric Coop Inc - (SD), WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration.
What power plants are in Stanley County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Ft. Pierre (6 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Stanley County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stanley County.
Is Stanley County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,327 jobs in 2025 against 1,176 in 2019 (+12.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 255 to 307.
Does Stanley County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stanley County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.