Emmet County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bear Creek Township, Petoskey and Littlefield Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Emmet County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Emmet County is home to Bear Creek Township, Petoskey, Littlefield Township and Resort Township. Construction employs 1,558, up 13.7% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 5.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 17,859 jobs in 2025, down 5.1% from 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Emmet County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities.
Cities and towns in Emmet County
Emmet County is home to Bear Creek Township, Petoskey, Littlefield Township and Resort Township.
- Mackinaw City also extends into Cheboygan County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bay Shore, Bay View, Brutus, Carp Lake, Conway, Cross Village, Levering, Oden, Ponshewaing.
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 Emmet County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 34,112 | 33,775 | ▼ 1.0% | 46th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,828 | 17,859 | ▼ 5.1% | 71st of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,758 | $58,660 | ▲ 40.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,370 | 1,558 | ▲ 13.7% | 38th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.4% | 4.1% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
33,775 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Emmet County
Utilities with service territory in Emmet 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% |
| Presque Isle Elec & Gas Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 32,446 | 20.99¢ | 16% |
| City of Harbor Springs - (MI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Petoskey - (MI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wolverine Power Supply Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Emmet County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Emmet County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,859 | $58,660 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,558 | $65,098 | 1.65 |
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 Emmet County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Emmet County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Emmet County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Emmet County, Cheboygan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmet County | 33,775 | ▼ 5.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Charlevoix County | 26,036 | ▲ 6.2% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Cheboygan County | 25,793 | ▼ 2.0% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Emmet County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Emmet County, Michigan?
6 utilities have service territory in Emmet County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Presque Isle Elec & Gas Coop, City of Harbor Springs - (MI). The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Emmet County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Emmet County.
Is Emmet County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,859 jobs in 2025 against 18,828 in 2019 (-5.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,370 to 1,558.
Does Emmet County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Emmet County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.