Pepin County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Durand
Pepin 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. Pepin County is home to Durand, Waterville, Albany and Pepin. Next door, Dunn County has 1 data center. Construction employs 168, down 8.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,394 jobs in 2025, up 6.4% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 72 Wisconsin counties).
Cities and towns in Pepin County
Pepin County is home to Durand, Waterville, Albany and Pepin.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arkansaw.
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 Pepin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 7,349 | 7,513 | ▲ 2.2% | 69th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,251 | 2,394 | ▲ 6.4% | 9th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,749 | $50,423 | ▲ 30.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 183 | 168 | ▼ 8.2% | 57th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 2.8% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
Northern States Power Co is the largest utility serving Pepin County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.83¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 7,513 people live here, up 2.2% since 2020.
Who powers Pepin County
Utilities with service territory in Pepin County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 220,574 | 15.83¢ | 40% |
| Riverland Energy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 18,970 | 16.30¢ | 13% |
| Dunn County Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,482 | 15.45¢ | 24% |
| Eau Claire Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pierce-Pepin Coop Services | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Pepin County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Pepin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,394 | $50,423 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 168 | $71,065 | 1.32 |
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 Pepin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pepin County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Eau Claire County.
Pepin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pepin County, Goodhue 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepin County | 7,513 | ▲ 6.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County | 13,318 | ▼ 10.1% | 390 MW | 3 MW | — | — |
| Dunn County | 46,223 | ▲ 3.2% | 15 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Eau Claire County | 109,033 | ▲ 0.1% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Goodhue County MN | 48,195 | ▲ 0.7% | 1,611 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Pierce County | 43,519 | ▲ 0.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Wabasha County MN | 21,537 | ▼ 4.1% | 16 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Pepin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pepin County, Wisconsin?
5 utilities have service territory in Pepin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co, Riverland Energy Cooperative, Dunn County Electric Coop, Eau Claire Electric Coop. The largest, Northern States Power Co, charged residential customers 15.83¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Pepin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pepin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dunn County.
Is Pepin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,394 jobs in 2025 against 2,251 in 2019 (+6.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 183 to 168.
Does Pepin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pepin County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.