Mecosta County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Big Rapids, Morton Township and Big Rapids Township
Mecosta 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. Construction employs 176, down 53.2% since 2019. Mecosta County is home to Big Rapids, Morton Township, Big Rapids Township and Green Township. Next door, Montcalm County has 300 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 12,262 jobs in 2025, down 7.4% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Mecosta County
Mecosta County is home to Big Rapids, Morton Township, Big Rapids Township and Green Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Canadian Lakes, Paris.
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 Mecosta County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 40,414 | 42,320 | ▲ 4.7% | 39th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 13,237 | 12,262 | ▼ 7.4% | 77th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,703 | $45,793 | ▲ 15.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 376 | 176 | ▼ 53.2% | 69th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 5.7% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 7 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Mecosta 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. 42,320 people live here, up 4.7% since 2020.
Who powers Mecosta County
Utilities with service territory in Mecosta 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% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop (MI) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,034 | 18.04¢ | 13% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 7 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 7 MW | 1922 |
The Mecosta County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,262 | $45,793 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 176 | $57,325 | 0.27 |
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 Mecosta County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mecosta County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Mecosta County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Mecosta County, Montcalm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecosta County | 42,320 | ▼ 7.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Clare County | 31,543 | ▲ 16.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Isabella County | 64,691 | ▼ 6.0% | 722 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 13,182 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Montcalm County | 69,406 | ▲ 1.3% | 1,108 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Newaygo County | 51,622 | ▼ 2.4% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Osceola County | 23,516 | ▲ 5.9% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Mecosta County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mecosta County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Mecosta County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Tri-County Electric Coop (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 Mecosta County?
1 operating plant with 7 MW of capacity. The largest is Rogers (7 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Mecosta County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mecosta County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montcalm County.
Is Mecosta County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,262 jobs in 2025 against 13,237 in 2019 (-7.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 376 to 176.
Does Mecosta County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mecosta County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.