Iron County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Iron River, Crystal Falls Township and Crystal Falls
No data center or power plant project is on record in Iron County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Iron County is home to Iron River, Crystal Falls Township, Crystal Falls and Stambaugh Township. Next door, Houghton County has 1 data center. Construction employs 187, down 9.7% since 2019. Employers here counted 3,371 jobs in 2025, down 9.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 27 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Iron County
Iron County is home to Iron River, Crystal Falls Township, Crystal Falls and Stambaugh Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amasa.
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 Iron County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 11,630 | 11,757 | ▲ 1.1% | 73rd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,740 | 3,371 | ▼ 9.9% | 80th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,875 | $46,937 | ▲ 23.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 207 | 187 | ▼ 9.7% | 65th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.0% | 6.2% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Upper Peninsula Power Company is the largest utility serving Iron 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 6.2% in August 2026, against 6.0% in 2019. 11,757 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Iron County
Utilities with service territory in Iron 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% |
| City of Crystal Falls | Municipal | Bundled | 1,330 | 18.88¢ | 55% |
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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 27 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peavy Falls | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 12 MW | 1943 |
| Michigamme Falls | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 10 MW | 1953 |
| Hemlock Falls | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 3 MW | 1953 |
| Way Dam | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 2 MW | 1949 |
| Crystal Falls | City of Crystal Falls - (MI) | Hydro | 1 MW | 1914 |
The Iron County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,371 | $46,937 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 187 | $53,320 | 1.05 |
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 Iron County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Iron County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Iron County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Iron County, Marquette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County | 11,757 | ▼ 9.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Baraga County | 8,169 | ● 0.0% | 81 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickinson County | 25,827 | ● 0.0% | 90 MW | — | — | — |
| Florence County WI | 4,748 | ▼ 8.3% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Forest County WI | 9,574 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Gogebic County | 14,285 | ▼ 6.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Houghton County | 37,842 | ▲ 10.3% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Marquette County | 68,064 | ▲ 1.0% | 224 MW | 150 MW | — | — |
| Ontonagon County | 5,823 | ▲ 7.4% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Vilas County WI | 23,761 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Iron County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Iron County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Iron County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Upper Peninsula Power Company, Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp., City of Crystal Falls. The largest, Upper Peninsula Power Company, charged residential customers 27.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Iron County?
5 operating plants with 27 MW of capacity. The largest is Peavy Falls (12 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Iron County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Iron County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Houghton County.
Is Iron County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,371 jobs in 2025 against 3,740 in 2019 (-9.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 207 to 187.
Does Iron County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Iron County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.