Steady plains wind has made South Dakota one of the country's leading generators of wind energy. The state's economy is changing fast, and its numbers tell part of the story.

Wind now supplies a large and growing share of the state's electricity.

What sets it apart

Turbine farms rise across the open country of the eastern and central plains. That detail is easy to overlook, but it helps explain the pull this place has on locals and visitors alike.

Landowners earn lease income while continuing to farm around the towers.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about South Dakota itself — a place where the old and the new sit close together. Whether the bet pays off or not, it is helping write South Dakota's next chapter.