Ogemaw County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Mills Township, West Branch Township and West Branch
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ogemaw County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ogemaw County is home to Mills Township, West Branch Township, West Branch and Churchill Township. Electrical contractors employ 10, up 25.0% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $39,358 a year. Construction employs 287, up 4.0% since 2019. Employers here counted 6,086 jobs in 2025, up 7.1% from 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Ogemaw County. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities.
Cities and towns in Ogemaw County
Ogemaw County is home to Mills Township, West Branch Township, West Branch and Churchill Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lupton, Skidway 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 Ogemaw County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,781 | 21,121 | ▲ 1.6% | 64th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,680 | 6,086 | ▲ 7.1% | 17th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,487 | $46,798 | ▲ 35.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 276 | 287 | ▲ 4.0% | 54th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8 | 10 | ▲ 25.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.6% | 6.7% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Unemployment was 6.7% in August 2026, against 6.6% in 2019. 21,121 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Ogemaw County
Utilities with service territory in Ogemaw 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% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Ogemaw County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Ogemaw County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,086 | $46,798 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 287 | $63,202 | 0.89 |
| Electrical contractors | 10 | $39,358 | 0.23 |
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 Ogemaw County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ogemaw County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Ogemaw County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Ogemaw County, Arenac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogemaw County | 21,121 | ▲ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Alcona County | 10,556 | ▼ 16.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Arenac County | 15,068 | ▼ 9.9% | — | 175 MW | — | — |
| Crawford County | 13,722 | ▼ 3.2% | 39 MW | — | — | — |
| Gladwin County | 26,077 | ▲ 9.3% | 20 MW | 145 MW | — | — |
| Iosco County | 25,266 | ▼ 3.7% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Oscoda County | 8,723 | ▼ 17.3% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Roscommon County | 23,914 | ▲ 12.4% | — | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Ogemaw County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ogemaw County, Michigan?
1 utility has service territory in Ogemaw County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI). The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Ogemaw County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ogemaw County.
Is Ogemaw County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,086 jobs in 2025 against 5,680 in 2019 (+7.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 276 to 287.
Does Ogemaw County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ogemaw County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.