Turner County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Parker
Turner County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Turner County is home to Parker, Centerville, Marion and Viborg. Employers here counted 2,423 jobs in 2025, up 17.0% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 66 South Dakota counties). Next door, Minnehaha County has 6 data centers. Construction employs 162, up 3.8% since 2019. Unemployment was 1.8% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Turner County
Turner County is home to Parker, Centerville, Marion and Viborg.
And 3 smaller places.
- Irene also extends into Clay County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cameron 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 Turner County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,684 | 9,314 | ▲ 7.3% | 20th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,071 | 2,423 | ▲ 17.0% | 4th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,054 | $48,470 | ▲ 30.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 162 | ▲ 3.8% | 25th of 31 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 1.8% | ▼ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota is the largest utility serving Turner County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 13.87¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities. 9,314 people live here, up 7.3% since 2020.
Who powers Turner County
Utilities with service territory in Turner 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% |
| Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,213 | 12.94¢ | 6% |
| Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,160 | 12.41¢ | 26% |
| Clay-Union Electric Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Parker - (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 |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POET Biorefining - Chancellor | POET Biorefining- Chancellor | Other technologies | 5 MW | 2018 |
The Turner County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,423 | $48,470 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 162 | $54,491 | 1.26 |
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 Turner County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Turner County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Lincoln County, Minnehaha County, Yankton County.
Turner County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Turner County, Minnehaha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turner County | 9,314 | ▲ 17.0% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 15,031 | ▲ 0.2% | 135 MW | — | — | — |
| Hutchinson County | 7,413 | ▲ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 77,145 | ▲ 27.9% | 4 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| McCook County | 5,964 | ▲ 8.9% | — | 99 MW | — | — |
| Minnehaha County | 212,691 | ▲ 8.7% | 406 MW | — | 6 | 1 |
| Yankton County | 23,635 | ▼ 0.2% | 233 MW | — | 2 | 2 |
More of South Dakota
Turner County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Turner County, South Dakota?
7 utilities have service territory in Turner County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop, Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD). The largest, Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, charged residential customers 13.87¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Turner County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is POET Biorefining - Chancellor (5 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Turner County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Turner County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Minnehaha County.
Is Turner County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,423 jobs in 2025 against 2,071 in 2019 (+17.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 156 to 162.
Does Turner County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Turner County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.