Ziebach County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bridger and Cherry Creek
Ziebach 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. Ziebach County is home to part of Eagle Butte (608 of its 1,269 residents). Next door, Pennington County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 251 jobs in 2025, down 10.7% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.4% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. West River Electric Assn Inc is the largest utility serving Ziebach County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.25¢/kWh in 2024, above the 12.48¢ median for South Dakota utilities.
Cities and towns in Ziebach County
Ziebach County is home to part of Eagle Butte (608 of its 1,269 residents).
- Eagle Butte also extends into Dewey County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bridger, Cherry Creek.
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 Ziebach County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 2,391 | 2,389 | ▼ 0.1% | 52nd of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 281 | 251 | ▼ 10.7% | 65th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,564 | $47,434 | ▲ 23.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.4% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
2,389 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Ziebach County
Utilities with service territory in Ziebach County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West River Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,423 | 14.25¢ | 30% |
| Grand Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Moreau-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 Ziebach County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ziebach County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 251 | $47,434 | 1.00 |
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 Ziebach County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ziebach County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Ziebach County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Ziebach County, Pennington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziebach County | 2,389 | ▼ 10.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Corson County | 3,781 | ▼ 4.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Dewey County | 5,419 | ▲ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Haakon County | 1,802 | ▲ 9.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Meade County | 30,711 | ▲ 22.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Pennington County | 116,792 | ▲ 8.8% | 278 MW | 100 MW | 2 | — |
| Perkins County | 2,853 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Stanley County | 3,018 | ▲ 12.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Ziebach County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ziebach County, South Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Ziebach County in the EIA-861 2024 report: West River Electric Assn Inc, Grand Electric Coop, Inc, Moreau-Grand Electric Coop Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, West River Electric Assn Inc, charged residential customers 14.25¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Ziebach County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ziebach County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pennington County.
Is Ziebach County adding jobs?
Employers counted 251 jobs in 2025 against 281 in 2019 (-10.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Ziebach County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ziebach County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.