Clare County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hayes Township, Surrey Township and Grant Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clare County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Clare County is home to Hayes Township, Surrey Township, Grant Township and most of Clare (3,245 of its 3,318 residents). Employers here counted 7,670 jobs in 2025, up 16.3% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 83 Michigan counties). Next door, Midland County has 206 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 416, up 12.4% since 2019. Electrical contractors employ 56, up 21.7% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $73,100 a year.
Cities and towns in Clare County
Clare County is home to Hayes Township, Surrey Township, Grant Township and most of Clare (3,245 of its 3,318 residents).
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 Clare County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 30,837 | 31,543 | ▲ 2.3% | 47th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,594 | 7,670 | ▲ 16.3% | 2nd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,315 | $50,327 | ▲ 28.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 370 | 416 | ▲ 12.4% | 40th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 46 | 56 | ▲ 21.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 6.1% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 56% of it solar. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Clare County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Unemployment was 6.1% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019. 31,543 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Clare County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clare County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,657,843 | 19.11¢ | 36% |
| Great Lakes Energy Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 120,645 | 19.17¢ | 12% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop (MI) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,034 | 18.04¢ | 13% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 56% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 44% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey Road | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Waste Management Northern Oaks LFGTE | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2010 |
The Clare County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,670 | $50,327 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 416 | $58,655 | 1.02 |
| Electrical contractors | 56 | $73,100 | 1.01 |
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 Clare County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clare County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Clare County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Clare County, Midland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clare County | 31,543 | ▲ 16.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Gladwin County | 26,077 | ▲ 9.3% | 20 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Isabella County | 64,691 | ▼ 6.0% | 722 MW | — | — | — |
| Mecosta County | 42,320 | ▼ 7.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Midland County | 83,754 | ▲ 2.1% | 1,854 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Missaukee County | 15,274 | ▲ 23.2% | 86 MW | — | — | — |
| Osceola County | 23,516 | ▲ 5.9% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
| Roscommon County | 23,914 | ▲ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Clare County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clare County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Clare County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Tri-County Electric Coop (MI). The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clare County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Surrey Road (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Clare County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clare County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Midland County.
Is Clare County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,670 jobs in 2025 against 6,594 in 2019 (+16.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 370 to 416.
Does Clare County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clare County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.