Houghton County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Houghton, Calumet Township and Hancock
Houghton County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Houghton County. Construction employs 897, up 44.4% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Houghton County is home to Houghton, Calumet Township, Hancock and Portage Township. Electrical contractors employ 91, up 56.9% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $77,837 a year. Employers here counted 12,476 jobs in 2025, up 10.3% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 83 Michigan counties).
Cities and towns in Houghton County
Houghton County is home to Houghton, Calumet Township, Hancock and Portage Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Atlantic Mine, Chassell, Dodgeville, Dollar Bay, Hubbell, Hurontown, Painesdale, Trimountain.
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 Houghton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,256 | 37,842 | ▲ 1.6% | 42nd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,307 | 12,476 | ▲ 10.3% | 9th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,554 | $57,656 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 621 | 897 | ▲ 44.4% | 4th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 58 | 91 | ▲ 56.9% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10 | 107 | ▲ 970.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 5.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 23 MW | — |
23 MW has retired here since 2019, including Portage (petroleum, 23 MW, 2021). Upper Peninsula Power Company is the largest utility serving Houghton 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. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. 37,842 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Houghton County
Utilities with service territory in Houghton 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% |
| Ontonagon County R E A | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Houghton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage | Petroleum | 23 MW | 2021 |
The Houghton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,476 | $57,656 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 897 | $62,116 | 1.36 |
| Electrical contractors | 91 | $77,837 | 1.01 |
| Data processing and hosting | 107 | $122,313 | 2.76 |
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 Houghton County
1 data center in Houghton County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map: see them by city and operator.
Houghton County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Houghton County, Baraga 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County | 37,842 | ▲ 10.3% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Baraga County | 8,169 | ● 0.0% | 81 MW | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 11,757 | ▼ 9.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Keweenaw County | 2,186 | ▲ 14.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Ontonagon County | 5,823 | ▲ 7.4% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Houghton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Houghton County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Houghton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Upper Peninsula Power Company, Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp., Ontonagon County R E A. The largest, Upper Peninsula Power Company, charged residential customers 27.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Houghton County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Houghton County.
Is Houghton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,476 jobs in 2025 against 11,307 in 2019 (+10.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 621 to 897.
Does Houghton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Houghton County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.