Midland County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Midland, Larkin Township and Jerome Township
Midland County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Midland County is home to Midland, Larkin Township, Jerome Township and Lee Township. 206 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by DTE Electric Company (solar), the 7th largest pipeline among Michigan's counties. 206 MW of it is already under construction or built. Its power plants have 1,854 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas, the 7th largest fleet in Michigan. 4 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sanford Dam (hydro, 4 MW, 2020). Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Midland County
Midland County is home to Midland, Larkin Township, Jerome Township and Lee Township.
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 Midland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 83,488 | 83,754 | ▲ 0.3% | 24th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 37,513 | 38,301 | ▲ 2.1% | 31st of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $62,767 | $70,983 | ▲ 13.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 206 MW | 11% of today's fleet | 7th of 25 by size |
Employers here counted 38,301 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019. DTE Electric Company is the largest utility serving Midland County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 20.13¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 83,754 people live here, up 0.3% since 2020.
Who powers Midland County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Midland 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% |
| Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,657,843 | 19.11¢ | 36% |
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 | 1,849 MW | 100% |
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland Cogeneration Venture | Midland Cogeneration Venture | Natural gas | 1,854 MW | 1989 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poseyville Solar Park | Solar Photovoltaic | 206 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2028 | DTE Electric Company |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Dam | Hydro | 4 MW | 2020 |
The Midland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 38,301 | $70,983 | 1.00 |
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 Midland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Midland County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Midland County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Midland County, Bay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland County | 83,754 | ▲ 2.1% | 1,854 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Bay County | 102,123 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,434 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Clare County | 31,543 | ▲ 16.3% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Gladwin County | 26,077 | ▲ 9.3% | 20 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Gratiot County | 41,190 | ▼ 3.3% | 1,124 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Isabella County | 64,691 | ▼ 6.0% | 722 MW | — | — | — |
| Saginaw County | 187,688 | ▼ 4.2% | 9 MW | 120 MW | — | — |
More of Michigan
Midland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Midland County, Michigan?
2 utilities have service territory in Midland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: DTE Electric Company, Consumers Energy Co - (MI). The largest, DTE Electric Company, charged residential customers 20.13¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Midland, MI in?
Midland is in Midland County, Michigan. About 42,630 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Midland County?
1 operating plant with 1,854 MW of capacity. The largest is Midland Cogeneration Venture (1,854 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Midland County?
206 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 206 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is DTE Electric Company.
Are there data centers in Midland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Midland County.
Is Midland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 38,301 jobs in 2025 against 37,513 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Midland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Midland County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.