Gladwin County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Gladwin, Tobacco Township and Sage Township
Gladwin County is where a large share of Michigan's next power plants are planned. Gladwin County is home to Gladwin, Tobacco Township, Sage Township and Billings Township. 145 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by DTE Electric Company (solar). 145 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 417, up 7.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 184, up 17.9% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $73,769 a year. Employers here counted 4,495 jobs in 2025, up 9.3% from 2019 (the 10th fastest growth of 83 Michigan counties).
Cities and towns in Gladwin County
Gladwin County is home to Gladwin, Tobacco Township, Sage Township and Billings Township.
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 Gladwin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,371 | 26,077 | ▲ 2.8% | 53rd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,112 | 4,495 | ▲ 9.3% | 10th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,469 | $49,519 | ▲ 32.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 387 | 417 | ▲ 7.8% | 45th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 156 | 184 | ▲ 17.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 5.8% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 145 MW | 725% of today's fleet | 14th of 25 by size |
2 MW has retired here since 2019, including Secord (hydro, 1 MW, 2020). 20 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Gladwin County. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Unemployment was 5.8% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019. 26,077 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Gladwin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Gladwin 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% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willford Solar, LLC | Willford Solar, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Field Solar Park | Solar Photovoltaic | 145 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | DTE Electric Company |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secord | Hydro | 1 MW | 2020 |
| Smallwood | Hydro | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Gladwin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,495 | $49,519 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 417 | $65,217 | 1.75 |
| Electrical contractors | 184 | $73,769 | 5.68 |
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 Gladwin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Gladwin County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Gladwin County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Gladwin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gladwin County | 26,077 | ▲ 9.3% | 20 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Arenac County | 15,068 | ▼ 9.9% | — | 175 MW | — | — |
| Bay County | 102,123 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,434 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Clare County | 31,543 | ▲ 16.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Isabella County | 64,691 | ▼ 6.0% | 722 MW | — | — | — |
| Midland County | 83,754 | ▲ 2.1% | 1,854 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Ogemaw County | 21,121 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Roscommon County | 23,914 | ▲ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Gladwin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Gladwin County, Michigan?
1 utility has service territory in Gladwin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI). The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Gladwin County?
1 operating plant with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Willford Solar, LLC (20 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Gladwin County?
145 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 145 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is DTE Electric Company.
Are there data centers in Gladwin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Gladwin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Midland County.
Is Gladwin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,495 jobs in 2025 against 4,112 in 2019 (+9.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 387 to 417.
Does Gladwin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Gladwin County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.