Iosco County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oscoda Township, Plainfield Township and East Tawas
No data center or power plant project is on record in Iosco County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Iosco County is home to Oscoda Township, Plainfield Township, East Tawas and Au Sable Township. Construction employs 330, up 3.4% since 2019. Employers here counted 7,624 jobs in 2025, down 3.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 28 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 6.7% in August 2026, against 6.1% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Iosco County
Iosco County is home to Oscoda Township, Plainfield Township, East Tawas and Au Sable Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Au Sable, Oscoda, Sand Lake.
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 Iosco County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,189 | 25,266 | ▲ 0.3% | 58th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,919 | 7,624 | ▼ 3.7% | 67th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,095 | $61,063 | ▲ 38.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 319 | 330 | ▲ 3.4% | 55th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 16 | ▼ 38.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.1% | 6.7% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Iosco County. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 25,266 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 16, down 38.5% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $46,761 a year.
Who powers Iosco County
Utilities with service territory in Iosco 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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 28 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooke | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 9 MW | 1911 |
| Foote | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 9 MW | 1918 |
| Five Channels | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 6 MW | 1912 |
| Loud | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 4 MW | 1913 |
The Iosco County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,624 | $61,063 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 330 | $56,375 | 0.82 |
| Electrical contractors | 16 | $46,761 | 0.29 |
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 Iosco County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Iosco County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Iosco County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Iosco County, Arenac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iosco County | 25,266 | ▼ 3.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Alcona County | 10,556 | ▼ 16.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Arenac County | 15,068 | ▼ 9.9% | — | 175 MW | — | — |
| Ogemaw County | 21,121 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Oscoda County | 8,723 | ▼ 17.3% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Iosco County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Iosco County, Michigan?
1 utility has service territory in Iosco 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 Iosco County?
4 operating plants with 28 MW of capacity. The largest is Cooke (9 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Iosco County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Iosco County.
Is Iosco County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,624 jobs in 2025 against 7,919 in 2019 (-3.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 319 to 330.
Does Iosco County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Iosco County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.