Newaygo County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fremont, Brooks Township and Croton Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Newaygo County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Newaygo County is home to Fremont, Brooks Township, Croton Township and Grant Township. Construction employs 582, up 38.6% since 2019. Next door, Kent County has 10 data centers. Its power plants have 46 MW of capacity, 87% of it hydro. Unemployment was 5.1% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Newaygo County
Newaygo County is home to Fremont, Brooks Township, Croton Township and Grant Township.
And 5 smaller places.
- Hesperia also extends into Oceana 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 Newaygo County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 50,091 | 51,622 | ▲ 3.1% | 36th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12,092 | 11,796 | ▼ 2.4% | 61st of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,554 | $50,614 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 420 | 582 | ▲ 38.6% | 6th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 5.1% | ▲ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 11,796 jobs in 2025, down 2.4% from 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Newaygo 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. 51,622 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Newaygo County
Utilities with service territory in Newaygo 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 40 MW | 87% |
| Other technologies | 6 MW | 13% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 32 MW | 1931 |
| Croton | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 9 MW | 1907 |
| Fremont Community Digester, LLC | Generate Fremont Digester, LLC. | Other technologies | 6 MW | 2012 |
The Newaygo County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,796 | $50,614 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 582 | $58,364 | 0.93 |
| Power and communication line construction | 41 | $68,096 | 2.15 |
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 Newaygo County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Newaygo County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Newaygo County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Newaygo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newaygo County | 51,622 | ▼ 2.4% | 46 MW | — | — | — |
| Kent County | 675,232 | ▲ 2.6% | 72 MW | — | 10 | — |
| Lake County | 13,182 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Mason County | 29,040 | ▼ 1.6% | 2,218 MW | — | — | — |
| Mecosta County | 42,320 | ▼ 7.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Montcalm County | 69,406 | ▲ 1.3% | 1,108 MW | 300 MW | — | — |
| Muskegon County | 177,901 | ▼ 0.3% | 273 MW | — | — | — |
| Oceana County | 27,177 | ▼ 4.6% | 5 MW | 120 MW | — | — |
| Osceola County | 23,516 | ▲ 5.9% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Newaygo County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Newaygo County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Newaygo 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 power plants are in Newaygo County?
3 operating plants with 46 MW of capacity. The largest is Hardy (32 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Newaygo County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Newaygo County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kent County.
Is Newaygo County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,796 jobs in 2025 against 12,092 in 2019 (-2.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 420 to 582.
Does Newaygo County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Newaygo County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.