Jackson County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jackson, Blackman Township and Summit Township
Jackson 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. Jackson County is home to Jackson, Blackman Township, Summit Township and Leoni Township. 225 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Geronimo Power (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among Michigan's counties. 125 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 2,442, up 27.0% since 2019. Next door, Calhoun County has 1,500 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Jackson County
Jackson County is home to Jackson, Blackman Township, Summit Township and Leoni Township.
And 2 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Michigan Center, Napoleon, Spring Arbor, Vandercook Lake, Vineyard 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 Jackson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 160,215 | 159,552 | ▼ 0.4% | 14th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 57,080 | 55,466 | ▼ 2.8% | 62nd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,018 | $64,811 | ▲ 29.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,923 | 2,442 | ▲ 27.0% | 13th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 5.0% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 25 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 225 MW | 33% of today's fleet | 5th of 25 by size |
Its power plants have 674 MW of capacity, 96% of it natural gas. 25 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 55,466 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Jackson 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. 159,552 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Jackson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +25 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jackson 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% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 649 MW | 96% |
| Solar | 25 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Generating Station | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Natural gas | 649 MW | 2002 |
| Letts Creek Solar, LLC | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 15 MW | 2022 |
| Surbrook Solar, LLC | Surbrook Solar, LLC | Solar | 10 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 125 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Geronimo Power |
| Grand Basin Energy Storage | Batteries | 100 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Grand Basin Energy Storage, LLC |
The Jackson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 55,466 | $64,811 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,442 | $79,497 | 0.83 |
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 Jackson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jackson County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Calhoun County, Livingston County.
Jackson County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 159,552 | ▼ 2.8% | 674 MW | 225 MW | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 133,408 | ▲ 1.1% | 624 MW | 1,500 MW | — | 1 |
| Eaton County | 109,581 | ▲ 8.3% | 287 MW | — | 5 | — |
| Hillsdale County | 45,738 | ▼ 2.0% | 314 MW | — | — | — |
| Ingham County | 289,709 | ▲ 1.4% | 276 MW | 15 MW | — | — |
| Lenawee County | 97,779 | ▼ 0.1% | 64 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Livingston County | 197,315 | ▲ 2.0% | 14 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Washtenaw County | 370,214 | ▲ 0.3% | 316 MW | 100 MW | 4 | — |
More of Michigan
Jackson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jackson County, Michigan?
2 utilities have service territory in Jackson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Tri-County Electric Coop (MI). The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Jackson, MI in?
Jackson is in Jackson County, Michigan. About 31,022 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Blackman Township, MI in?
Blackman Township is in Jackson County, Michigan. About 24,987 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Summit Township, MI in?
Summit Township is in Jackson County, Michigan. About 22,705 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jackson County?
3 operating plants with 674 MW of capacity. The largest is Jackson Generating Station (649 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Jackson County?
225 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 125 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Geronimo Power.
Are there data centers in Jackson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jackson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Calhoun County.
Is Jackson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 55,466 jobs in 2025 against 57,080 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,923 to 2,442.
Does Jackson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jackson County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.