Ionia County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ionia, Boston Township and Belding
Ionia County is a generation frontier for Michigan. Ionia County is home to Ionia, Boston Township, Belding and Ionia Township. 200 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Tupper Lake (wind), the 8th largest pipeline among Michigan's counties. Construction employs 813, up 17.5% since 2019. Employers here counted 18,832 jobs in 2025, down 7.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Ionia County
Ionia County is home to Ionia, Boston Township, Belding and Ionia Township.
And 2 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Palo.
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 Ionia County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 66,871 | 66,557 | ▼ 0.5% | 30th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,331 | 18,832 | ▼ 7.4% | 78th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,515 | $49,699 | ▲ 39.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 692 | 813 | ▲ 17.5% | 33rd of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 200 MW | 2469% of today's fleet | 8th of 25 by size |
Its power plants have 8 MW of capacity, 53% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 55, at an average $81,522 a year. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Ionia County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 66,557 people live here, down 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Ionia County
Utilities with service territory in Ionia 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% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop (MI) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,034 | 18.04¢ | 13% |
| City of Portland - (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.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 4 MW | 53% |
| Petroleum | 4 MW | 47% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webber | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1907 |
| Frank Jenkins | City of Portland - (MI) | Petroleum | 4 MW | 1950 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tupper Lake Wind | Onshore Wind Turbine | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Tupper Lake |
The Ionia County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,832 | $49,699 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 813 | $74,161 | 0.81 |
| Electrical contractors | 55 | $81,522 | 0.40 |
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 Ionia County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ionia County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clinton County.
Ionia County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Ionia County, Montcalm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia County | 66,557 | ▼ 7.4% | 8 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Barry County | 63,991 | ▲ 4.7% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Clinton County | 80,432 | ▲ 14.2% | 23 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Eaton County | 109,581 | ▲ 8.3% | 287 MW | — | 5 | — |
| Gratiot County | 41,190 | ▼ 3.3% | 1,124 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Kent County | 675,232 | ▲ 2.6% | 72 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Montcalm County | 69,406 | ▲ 1.3% | 1,108 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
More of Michigan
Ionia County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ionia County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Ionia County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Tri-County Electric Coop (MI), City of Portland - (MI), Wolverine Power Supply Coop. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Ionia, MI in?
Ionia is in Ionia County, Michigan. About 12,208 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Ionia County?
2 operating plants with 8 MW of capacity. The largest is Webber (4 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Ionia County?
200 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Tupper Lake.
Are there data centers in Ionia County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ionia County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kent County.
Is Ionia County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,832 jobs in 2025 against 20,331 in 2019 (-7.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 692 to 813.
Does Ionia County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ionia County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.