Kalkaska County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Kalkaska Township, Clearwater Township and Kalkaska
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Kalkaska County. Construction employs 635, up 28.8% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Kalkaska County is home to Kalkaska Township, Clearwater Township, Kalkaska and Springfield Township. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including Rocklocker LLC Kalkaska County (1,000 MW). Employers here counted 4,924 jobs in 2025, up 15.7% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 83 Michigan counties). Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Kalkaska County
Kalkaska County is home to Kalkaska Township, Clearwater Township, Kalkaska and Springfield Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bear Lake, Manistee Lake, Rapid City, South Boardman.
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 Kalkaska County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,924 | 18,693 | ▲ 4.3% | 65th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,254 | 4,924 | ▲ 15.7% | 3rd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $50,585 | $65,078 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 493 | 635 | ▲ 28.8% | 10th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.8% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 60 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Kalkaska 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. 18,693 people live here, up 4.3% since 2020.
Who powers Kalkaska County
Utilities with service territory in Kalkaska 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% |
| Great Lakes Energy Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 120,645 | 19.17¢ | 12% |
| Cherryland Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,100 | 16.36¢ | 28% |
| 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 60 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalkaska CT #1 | Michigan Public Power Agency | Natural gas | 60 MW | 2002 |
The Kalkaska County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,924 | $65,078 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 635 | $100,221 | 2.43 |
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 Kalkaska County
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocklocker LLC Kalkaska County | cancelled | 1,000 MW |
Kalkaska County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Kalkaska County, Otsego 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalkaska County | 18,693 | ▲ 15.7% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
| Antrim County | 24,698 | ▼ 5.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 13,722 | ▼ 3.2% | 39 MW | — | — | — |
| Grand Traverse County | 96,729 | ▲ 3.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Missaukee County | 15,274 | ▲ 23.2% | 86 MW | — | — | — |
| Otsego County | 26,080 | ▲ 2.9% | 694 MW | — | — | — |
| Roscommon County | 23,914 | ▲ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wexford County | 34,445 | ▼ 7.2% | 61 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Kalkaska County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Kalkaska County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Kalkaska County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Cherryland Electric Coop Inc, Wolverine Power Supply Coop. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Kalkaska County?
1 operating plant with 60 MW of capacity. The largest is Kalkaska CT #1 (60 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Kalkaska County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Kalkaska County.
Is Kalkaska County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,924 jobs in 2025 against 4,254 in 2019 (+15.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 493 to 635.
Does Kalkaska County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Kalkaska County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.