Hillsdale County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Hillsdale, Somerset Township and Jefferson Township
Hillsdale County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Hillsdale County is home to Hillsdale, Somerset Township, Jefferson Township and Cambria Township. Construction employs 418, up 20.1% since 2019. Next door, Calhoun County has 1,500 MW of planned generation. 302 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 314 MW of capacity, 48% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Hillsdale County
Hillsdale County is home to Hillsdale, Somerset Township, Jefferson Township and Cambria Township.
And 3 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cambria, Lake LeAnn, Pittsford.
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 Hillsdale County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 45,740 | 45,738 | ● 0.0% | 38th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,712 | 12,461 | ▼ 2.0% | 58th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,546 | $53,834 | ▲ 20.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 348 | 418 | ▲ 20.1% | 24th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.7% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 302 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 12,461 jobs in 2025, down 2.0% from 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Hillsdale County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 45,738 people live here, down 0.0% since 2020.
Who powers Hillsdale County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +302 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Hillsdale 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% |
| Hillsdale Board of Public Wks | — | — | — | — | — |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 152 MW | 48% |
| Wind | 150 MW | 48% |
| Natural gas | 12 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent Wind Park | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Wind | 150 MW | 2021 |
| Heartwood Solar | Heartwood Solar, LLC | Solar | 150 MW | 2026 |
| Hillsdale | Hillsdale Board of Public Wks | Natural gas | 12 MW | 1973 |
| Bullhead Solar, LLC | Bullhead Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
The Hillsdale County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,461 | $53,834 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 418 | $49,655 | 0.63 |
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 Hillsdale County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hillsdale County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Calhoun County, Williams County.
Hillsdale County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hillsdale County, Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale County | 45,738 | ▼ 2.0% | 314 MW | — | — | — |
| Branch County | 45,993 | ▲ 8.8% | 641 MW | 100 MW | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 133,408 | ▲ 1.1% | 624 MW | 1,500 MW | — | 1 |
| Fulton County OH | 41,853 | ▼ 2.2% | 107 MW | 199 MW | — | — |
| Jackson County | 159,552 | ▼ 2.8% | 674 MW | 225 MW | — | — |
| Lenawee County | 97,779 | ▼ 0.1% | 64 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Steuben County IN | 34,799 | ▼ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Williams County OH | 36,549 | ▼ 8.8% | 135 MW | — | — | 2 |
More of Michigan
Hillsdale County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hillsdale County, Michigan?
2 utilities have service territory in Hillsdale County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Hillsdale Board of Public Wks. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Hillsdale County?
4 operating plants with 314 MW of capacity. The largest is Crescent Wind Park (150 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Hillsdale County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hillsdale County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Calhoun County.
Is Hillsdale County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,461 jobs in 2025 against 12,712 in 2019 (-2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 348 to 418.
Does Hillsdale County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hillsdale County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.