Saginaw County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Saginaw, Saginaw Township and Thomas Township
New generation is lining up in Saginaw County. Saginaw County is home to Saginaw, Saginaw Township, Thomas Township and Tittabawassee Township. 120 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Eagle Creek Solar Park LLC (solar). Construction employs 3,365, up 13.5% since 2019. Unemployment was 5.8% in August 2026, against 4.8% in 2019. 6 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Saginaw County
Saginaw County is home to Saginaw, Saginaw Township, Thomas Township and Tittabawassee Township.
And 11 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bridgeport, Buena Vista, Burt, Freeland, Hemlock, Robin Glen-Indiantown, Shields.
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 Saginaw County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 189,853 | 187,688 | ▼ 1.1% | 11th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 83,683 | 80,210 | ▼ 4.2% | 69th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $46,430 | $60,997 | ▲ 31.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,966 | 3,365 | ▲ 13.5% | 39th of 69 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 266 | 219 | ▼ 17.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.8% | 5.8% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 6 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 120 MW | 1304% of today's fleet | 15th of 25 by size |
Employers here counted 80,210 jobs in 2025, down 4.2% from 2019. Its power plants have 9 MW of capacity, 65% of it solar. DTE Electric Company is the largest utility serving Saginaw County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 20.13¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Electrical contractors employ 219, down 17.7% since 2019 against up 23.2% statewide, at an average $75,402 a year. 187,688 people live here, down 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Saginaw County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Saginaw County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTE Electric Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,067,779 | 20.13¢ | 41% |
| Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,657,843 | 19.11¢ | 36% |
| Tri-County Electric Coop (MI) | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,034 | 18.04¢ | 13% |
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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 6 MW | 65% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 35% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoples Generating Station | Sagepoint Energy | Other technologies | 3 MW | 1995 |
| Geddes 1 Solar, LLC | Geddes 1 Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
| Geddes 2 Solar, LLC | Geddes 2 Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
| Stoneheart Solar, LLC | Stoneheart Solar, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle Creek Solar Park LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 120 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Eagle Creek Solar Park LLC |
The Saginaw County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 80,210 | $60,997 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 3,365 | $83,288 | 0.79 |
| Electrical contractors | 219 | $75,402 | 0.38 |
| Power and communication line construction | 164 | $132,033 | 1.27 |
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 Saginaw County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Saginaw County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Saginaw County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Saginaw County, Midland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County | 187,688 | ▼ 4.2% | 9 MW | 120 MW | — | — |
| Bay County | 102,123 | ▼ 0.8% | 1,434 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Genesee County | 401,093 | ▼ 0.7% | 117 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Gratiot County | 41,190 | ▼ 3.3% | 1,124 MW | 50 MW | — | — |
| Midland County | 83,754 | ▲ 2.1% | 1,854 MW | 206 MW | — | — |
| Shiawassee County | 67,681 | ▼ 1.2% | 287 MW | — | — | — |
| Tuscola County | 52,680 | ▲ 3.6% | 656 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Saginaw County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Saginaw County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Saginaw County in the EIA-861 2024 report: DTE Electric Company, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Tri-County Electric Coop (MI). The largest, DTE Electric Company, charged residential customers 20.13¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Saginaw, MI in?
Saginaw is in Saginaw County, Michigan. About 42,863 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Saginaw Township, MI in?
Saginaw Township is in Saginaw County, Michigan. About 40,962 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Thomas Township, MI in?
Thomas Township is in Saginaw County, Michigan. About 11,900 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Saginaw County?
4 operating plants with 9 MW of capacity. The largest is Peoples Generating Station (3 MW, other technologies).
How much new power is planned in Saginaw County?
120 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Eagle Creek Solar Park LLC.
Are there data centers in Saginaw County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Saginaw County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Midland County.
Is Saginaw County adding jobs?
Employers counted 80,210 jobs in 2025 against 83,683 in 2019 (-4.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,966 to 3,365.
Does Saginaw County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Saginaw County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.