Leelanau County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Elmwood Township, Suttons Bay Township and Bingham Township
Leelanau 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. Leelanau County is home to Elmwood Township, Suttons Bay Township, Bingham Township and Leland Township. Employers here counted 7,359 jobs in 2025, up 13.1% from 2019 (the 7th fastest growth of 83 Michigan counties). Construction employs 540, down 7.1% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Leelanau County
Leelanau County is home to Elmwood Township, Suttons Bay Township, Bingham Township and Leland Township.
- Traverse City also extends into Grand Traverse County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cedar, Glen Arbor, Greilickville, Lake Leelanau, Leland, Maple City, Omena.
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 Leelanau County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 22,312 | 22,982 | ▲ 3.0% | 62nd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,507 | 7,359 | ▲ 13.1% | 7th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,585 | $50,737 | ▲ 35.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 581 | 540 | ▼ 7.1% | 64th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.6% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Leelanau 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. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. 22,982 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Leelanau County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Leelanau 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% |
| Cherryland Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,100 | 16.36¢ | 28% |
| City of Traverse City - (MI) | Municipal | Bundled | 9,161 | 12.70¢ | 43% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M72 West Solar | Heritage Sustainable Energy. LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2019 |
| TCLP Solar Phase 1 | Heritage Sustainable Energy. LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2017 |
The Leelanau County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,359 | $50,737 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 540 | $61,165 | 1.38 |
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 Leelanau County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Leelanau County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Leelanau County and its neighbors
Of the 2 counties that border Leelanau County, Grand Traverse 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leelanau County | 22,982 | ▲ 13.1% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Benzie County | 18,568 | ▲ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Traverse County | 96,729 | ▲ 3.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Leelanau County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Leelanau County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Leelanau County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Cherryland Electric Coop Inc, City of Traverse City - (MI), 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 Leelanau County?
2 operating plants with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is M72 West Solar (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Leelanau County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Leelanau County.
Is Leelanau County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,359 jobs in 2025 against 6,507 in 2019 (+13.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 581 to 540.
Does Leelanau County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Leelanau County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.