Otsego County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bagley Township, Gaylord and Otsego Lake Township
Otsego County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Otsego County is home to Bagley Township, Gaylord, Otsego Lake Township and Hayes Township. Construction employs 647, up 40.7% since 2019. Its power plants have 694 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 10,549 jobs in 2025, up 2.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Otsego County
Otsego County is home to Bagley Township, Gaylord, Otsego Lake Township and Hayes 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 Otsego County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 25,137 | 26,080 | ▲ 3.8% | 52nd of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,248 | 10,549 | ▲ 2.9% | 29th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,618 | $55,794 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 460 | 647 | ▲ 40.7% | 5th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Otsego County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 26,080 people live here, up 3.8% since 2020.
Who powers Otsego County
Utilities with service territory in Otsego 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% |
| Presque Isle Elec & Gas Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 32,446 | 20.99¢ | 16% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 694 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine Power Plant | Wolverine Power Supply Coop | Natural gas | 454 MW | 2016 |
| Livingston Generating Station | CMS Generation MI Power LLC | Natural gas | 170 MW | 1999 |
| Gaylord - Wolverine | Wolverine Power Supply Coop | Natural gas | 70 MW | 2001 |
The Otsego County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 10,549 | $55,794 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 647 | $70,413 | 1.16 |
| Electric utilities | 50 | $134,479 | 1.75 |
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 Otsego County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Otsego County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Otsego County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Otsego County, Kalkaska 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego County | 26,080 | ▲ 2.9% | 694 MW | — | — | — |
| Antrim County | 24,698 | ▼ 5.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Charlevoix County | 26,036 | ▲ 6.2% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Cheboygan County | 25,793 | ▼ 2.0% | 26 MW | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 13,722 | ▼ 3.2% | 39 MW | — | — | — |
| Kalkaska County | 18,693 | ▲ 15.7% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
| Montmorency County | 9,842 | ▲ 0.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Oscoda County | 8,723 | ▼ 17.3% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Otsego County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Otsego County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Otsego County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Presque Isle Elec & Gas 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 Otsego County?
3 operating plants with 694 MW of capacity. The largest is Alpine Power Plant (454 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Otsego County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Otsego County.
Is Otsego County adding jobs?
Employers counted 10,549 jobs in 2025 against 10,248 in 2019 (+2.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 460 to 647.
Does Otsego County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Otsego County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.