Macomb County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Warren, Sterling Heights and Clinton Township
The data center boom is not abstract in Macomb County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Macomb County. Macomb County is home to Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township and Macomb Township. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Twelve-month data center moratorium”. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 2,760, up 19.9% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $89,969 a year.
Cities and towns in Macomb County
Macomb County is home to Warren, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township and Macomb Township.
And 3 smaller places.
- Memphis also extends into St. Clair County.
- Village of Grosse Pointe Shores also extends into Wayne County.
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 Macomb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 880,240 | 886,221 | ▲ 0.7% | 3rd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 330,867 | 331,515 | ▲ 0.2% | 44th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $56,674 | $72,038 | ▲ 27.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,805 | 18,024 | ▲ 7.3% | 46th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,302 | 2,760 | ▲ 19.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — |
Construction employs 18,024, up 7.3% since 2019. 16 MW has retired here since 2019, including Northeast (MI) (natural gas, 16 MW, 2023). Its power plants have 135 MW of capacity, 53% of it natural gas. DTE Electric Company is the largest utility serving Macomb County. Its residential customers paid an average 20.13¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Employers here counted 331,515 jobs in 2025, up 0.2% from 2019. 886,221 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020, 3rd of 83 Michigan counties by population.
Who powers Macomb County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −16 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Macomb County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTE Electric Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,067,779 | 20.13¢ | 41% |
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 | 71 MW | 53% |
| Petroleum | 42 MW | 31% |
| Other technologies | 22 MW | 16% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast (MI) | DTE Electric Company | Natural gas | 114 MW | 1966 |
| Pine Tree Acres WM LFGTE | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 13 MW | 2012 |
| Pine Tree Acres | NextEra Renewable Fuels, LLC | Other technologies | 9 MW | 1998 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast (MI) | Natural gas | 16 MW | 2023 |
The Macomb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 331,515 | $72,038 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 18,024 | $86,419 | 1.03 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,760 | $89,969 | 1.15 |
| Power and communication line construction | 951 | $97,649 | 1.78 |
| Electric utilities | 286 | $153,195 | 0.32 |
| Data processing and hosting | 119 | $84,239 | 0.12 |
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 Macomb County
1 data center in Macomb County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twelve-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-08 |
Macomb County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Macomb County, Wayne 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macomb County | 886,221 | ▲ 0.2% | 135 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Lapeer County | 89,516 | ▲ 3.4% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
| Oakland County | 1,288,337 | ▼ 3.5% | 152 MW | — | 19 | — |
| St. Clair County | 160,486 | ▼ 6.4% | 4,493 MW | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 1,769,038 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,311 MW | 237 MW | 10 | — |
More of Michigan
Macomb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Macomb County, Michigan?
1 utility has service territory in Macomb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: DTE Electric Company. The largest, DTE Electric Company, charged residential customers 20.13¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Warren, MI in?
Warren is in Macomb County, Michigan. About 137,138 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sterling Heights, MI in?
Sterling Heights is in Macomb County, Michigan. About 133,931 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Clinton Township, MI in?
Clinton Township is in Macomb County, Michigan. About 101,374 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Macomb County?
3 operating plants with 135 MW of capacity. The largest is Northeast (MI) (114 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Macomb County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Macomb County.
Is Macomb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 331,515 jobs in 2025 against 330,867 in 2019 (+0.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 16,805 to 18,024.
Does Macomb County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Macomb County, 1 in force.