Ontonagon County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ontonagon Township and Ontonagon
No data center or power plant project is on record in Ontonagon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Ontonagon County is home to Ontonagon Township, Ontonagon, Stannard Township and Greenland Township. Next door, Houghton County has 1 data center. 20 MW has retired here since 2019, including White Pine Electric Power (natural gas, 20 MW, 2020). Employers here counted 1,338 jobs in 2025, up 7.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 6.0% in August 2026, against 7.0% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County is home to Ontonagon Township, Ontonagon, Stannard Township and Greenland Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bergland, Bruce Crossing, Ewen, Greenland, Lake Gogebic, Mass City, Rockland, White Pine.
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 Ontonagon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,799 | 5,823 | ▲ 0.4% | 82nd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,246 | 1,338 | ▲ 7.4% | 15th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,476 | $37,674 | ▲ 19.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 64 | 64 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 7.0% | 6.0% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — |
Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Upper Peninsula Power Company is the largest utility serving Ontonagon County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 27.64¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 5,823 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Ontonagon County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Ontonagon County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Peninsula Power Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 47,660 | 27.64¢ | 20% |
| Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp. | Investor Owned | Bundled | 33,252 | 14.76¢ | 7% |
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 7,579 | 14.66¢ | 36% |
| Ontonagon County R E A | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria Dam | Upper Peninsula Power Company | Hydro | 12 MW | 1931 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Pine Electric Power | Natural gas | 20 MW | 2020 |
The Ontonagon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,338 | $37,674 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 64 | $45,743 | 0.90 |
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 Ontonagon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ontonagon County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Ontonagon County and its neighbors
Of the 3 counties that border Ontonagon County, Houghton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontonagon County | 5,823 | ▲ 7.4% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Gogebic County | 14,285 | ▼ 6.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Houghton County | 37,842 | ▲ 10.3% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Iron County | 11,757 | ▼ 9.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Ontonagon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ontonagon County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Ontonagon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Upper Peninsula Power Company, Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp., Northern States Power Co, Ontonagon County R E A. The largest, Upper Peninsula Power Company, charged residential customers 27.64¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Ontonagon County?
1 operating plant with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Victoria Dam (12 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Ontonagon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ontonagon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Houghton County.
Is Ontonagon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,338 jobs in 2025 against 1,246 in 2019 (+7.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 64 to 64.
Does Ontonagon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ontonagon County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.