Manistee County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Manistee, Manistee Township and Filer Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Manistee County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Manistee County is home to Manistee, Manistee Township, Filer Township and Bear Lake Township. Electrical contractors employ 20, up 53.8% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $46,404 a year. Construction employs 283, down 1.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 7,448 jobs in 2025, up 3.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 110 MW of capacity, 64% of it coal.
Cities and towns in Manistee County
Manistee County is home to Manistee, Manistee Township, Filer Township and Bear Lake Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Arcadia, Brethren, Filer City, Oak Hill, Parkdale, Stronach, Wellston.
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 Manistee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,070 | 25,656 | ▲ 2.3% | 57th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,181 | 7,448 | ▲ 3.7% | 25th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,023 | $54,320 | ▲ 29.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 286 | 283 | ▼ 1.0% | 60th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13 | 20 | ▲ 53.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 5.0% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Manistee 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. 25,656 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Manistee County
Utilities with service territory in Manistee 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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 70 MW | 64% |
| Hydro | 20 MW | 18% |
| Natural gas | 20 MW | 18% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TES Filer City Station | TES Filer City Station LP | Coal | 70 MW | 1990 |
| C W Tippy | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 20 MW | 1918 |
| PCA, Filer City Mill | PCA, Filer City Mill | Natural gas | 20 MW | 1950 |
The Manistee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,448 | $54,320 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 283 | $60,619 | 0.72 |
| Electrical contractors | 20 | $46,404 | 0.37 |
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 Manistee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Manistee County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Manistee County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Manistee County, Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manistee County | 25,656 | ▲ 3.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Benzie County | 18,568 | ▲ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Traverse County | 96,729 | ▲ 3.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 13,182 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Mason County | 29,040 | ▼ 1.6% | 2,218 MW | — | — | — |
| Wexford County | 34,445 | ▼ 7.2% | 61 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Manistee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Manistee County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Manistee 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 Manistee County?
3 operating plants with 110 MW of capacity. The largest is TES Filer City Station (70 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Manistee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Manistee County.
Is Manistee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,448 jobs in 2025 against 7,181 in 2019 (+3.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 286 to 283.
Does Manistee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Manistee County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.