Muskegon County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Muskegon, Norton Shores and Muskegon Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Muskegon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Muskegon County is home to Muskegon, Norton Shores, Muskegon Township and Fruitport Township. Next door, Kent County has 10 data centers. Unemployment was 5.3% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. 270 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 2,468, up 5.7% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Muskegon County
Muskegon County is home to Muskegon, Norton Shores, Muskegon Township and Fruitport Township.
And 3 smaller places.
- Casnovia also extends into Kent County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Twin Lake, Wolf Lake.
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 Muskegon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 174,783 | 177,901 | ▲ 1.8% | 12th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 62,220 | 62,026 | ▼ 0.3% | 48th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,627 | $58,781 | ▲ 34.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,336 | 2,468 | ▲ 5.7% | 51st of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 690 | 716 | ▲ 3.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 5.3% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 270 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Electrical contractors employ 716, up 3.8% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $100,340 a year. Its power plants have 273 MW of capacity, 99% of it solar. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Muskegon County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Employers here counted 62,026 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. 177,901 people live here, up 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Muskegon County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +270 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Muskegon 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% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 270 MW | 99% |
| Natural gas | 3 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon Solar | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Solar | 250 MW | 2026 |
| Macbeth Solar | Macbeth Solar, LLC | Solar | 20 MW | 2022 |
| Lorin Industries | Lorin Industries | Natural gas | 3 MW | 1990 |
The Muskegon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 62,026 | $58,781 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,468 | $82,927 | 0.75 |
| Electrical contractors | 716 | $100,340 | 1.60 |
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 Muskegon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Muskegon County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Muskegon County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Muskegon County, Ottawa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon County | 177,901 | ▼ 0.3% | 273 MW | — | — | — |
| Kent County | 675,232 | ▲ 2.6% | 72 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Newaygo County | 51,622 | ▼ 2.4% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Oceana County | 27,177 | ▼ 4.6% | 5 MW | 120 MW | — | — |
| Ottawa County | 308,459 | ▲ 0.9% | 2,725 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Muskegon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Muskegon County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Muskegon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Wolverine Power Supply Coop. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Muskegon, MI in?
Muskegon is in Muskegon County, Michigan. About 37,224 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Norton Shores, MI in?
Norton Shores is in Muskegon County, Michigan. About 25,088 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Muskegon Township, MI in?
Muskegon Township is in Muskegon County, Michigan. About 17,911 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Muskegon County?
3 operating plants with 273 MW of capacity. The largest is Muskegon Solar (250 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Muskegon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Muskegon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kent County.
Is Muskegon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 62,026 jobs in 2025 against 62,220 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,336 to 2,468.
Does Muskegon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Muskegon County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.