Walworth County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mobridge
No data center or power plant project is on record in Walworth County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Walworth County is home to Mobridge and Selby. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 8, at an average $37,548 a year. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is the largest utility serving Walworth 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. Employers here counted 2,065 jobs in 2025, up 0.7% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Walworth County
Walworth County is home to Mobridge and Selby.
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 Walworth County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,291 | 5,217 | ▼ 1.4% | 36th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,050 | 2,065 | ▲ 0.7% | 40th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,718 | $49,032 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 2.7% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
5,217 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Walworth County
Utilities with service territory in Walworth 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% |
| Cam Wal 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 Walworth County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Walworth County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,065 | $49,032 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 8 | $37,548 | 0.54 |
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 Walworth County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Walworth County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Walworth County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Walworth County, Campbell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walworth County | 5,217 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Campbell County | 1,377 | ▼ 5.3% | 94 MW | — | — | — |
| Corson County | 3,781 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Edmunds County | 4,022 | ▲ 5.3% | — | — | — | — |
| McPherson County | 2,347 | ▼ 2.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Potter County | 2,377 | ▲ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Walworth County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Walworth County, South Dakota?
3 utilities have service territory in Walworth County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, Cam Wal 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 Walworth County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Walworth County.
Is Walworth County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,065 jobs in 2025 against 2,050 in 2019 (+0.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Walworth County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Walworth County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.