Alger County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Munising Township, Munising and Rock River Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alger County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Alger County is home to Munising Township, Munising, Rock River Township and Au Train Township. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 7.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 2,678 jobs in 2025, up 7.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 6 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal. Upper Peninsula Power Company is the largest utility serving Alger County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 27.64¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities.
Cities and towns in Alger County
Alger County is home to Munising Township, Munising, Rock River Township and Au Train Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Grand Marais.
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 Alger County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,845 | 8,641 | ▼ 2.3% | 78th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,497 | 2,678 | ▲ 7.2% | 16th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,429 | $51,436 | ▲ 24.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.8% | 5.3% | ▼ 2.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
8,641 people live here, down 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Alger County
Utilities with service territory in Alger County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Peninsula Power Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 47,660 | 27.64¢ | 20% |
| Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 33,252 | 14.76¢ | 7% |
| Alger-Delta Coop Electric Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,817 | 23.25¢ | 12% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 6 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neenah Paper Munising Mill | Neenah Paper Michigan Inc. | Coal | 6 MW | 1930 |
The Alger County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,678 | $51,436 | 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 Alger County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alger County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Delta County.
Alger County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Alger County, Marquette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alger County | 8,641 | ▲ 7.2% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Delta County | 36,582 | ▼ 0.4% | 348 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Luce County | 6,339 | ▲ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Marquette County | 68,064 | ▲ 1.0% | 224 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Schoolcraft County | 8,187 | ▲ 5.3% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Alger County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alger County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Alger County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Upper Peninsula Power Company, Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp., Alger-Delta Coop Electric Assn. The largest, Upper Peninsula Power Company, charged residential customers 27.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Alger County?
1 operating plant with 6 MW of capacity. The largest is Neenah Paper Munising Mill (6 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Alger County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alger County.
Is Alger County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,678 jobs in 2025 against 2,497 in 2019 (+7.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Alger County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alger County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.