Washtenaw County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti Township and Pittsfield Township
The data center boom is not abstract in Washtenaw County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Washtenaw County, 7% of Michigan's total. Washtenaw County is home to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti Township, Pittsfield Township and Ypsilanti. 2 projects are on the Delay Watchlist, including Saline Township 'The Barn', OpenAI/Oracle Stargate Campus (1,400 MW). 100 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Voyager Energy Storage LLC (battery storage). 100 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County is home to Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti Township, Pittsfield Township and Ypsilanti.
And 4 smaller places.
- Milan also extends into Monroe County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Whitmore 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 Washtenaw County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 371,814 | 370,214 | ▼ 0.4% | 6th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 218,476 | 219,230 | ▲ 0.3% | 43rd of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $61,276 | $76,751 | ▲ 25.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,676 | 4,949 | ▲ 5.8% | 50th of 69 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,212 | 869 | ▼ 28.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 4.2% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 156 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 100 MW | 32% of today's fleet | 18th of 25 by size |
156 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Construction employs 4,949, up 5.8% since 2019. Its power plants have 316 MW of capacity, 45% of it solar. DTE Electric Company is the largest utility serving Washtenaw County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 20.13¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. Employers here counted 219,230 jobs in 2025, up 0.3% from 2019. 370,214 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020, 6th of 83 Michigan counties by population.
Who powers Washtenaw County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +156 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Washtenaw 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% |
| Village of Chelsea - (MI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Village of Clinton - (MI) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 7
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 141 MW | 45% |
| Petroleum | 73 MW | 23% |
| Natural gas | 71 MW | 22% |
| Other technologies | 30 MW | 10% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Tail Solar | White Tail Solar, LLC | Solar | 140 MW | 2025 |
| Superior | DTE Electric Company | Petroleum | 64 MW | 1966 |
| University of Michigan | University of Michigan | Natural gas | 60 MW | 1975 |
| GRS Arbor Hills | Gas Recovery Systems Inc | Other technologies | 30 MW | 1996 |
| Warner Lambert | University of Michigan NCampus Research | Petroleum | 12 MW | 1989 |
| East. Michigan Univ. Heating Plant | East. Michigan Univ. Heating Plant | Natural gas | 8 MW | 2018 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voyager Energy Storage | Batteries | 100 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2027 | Voyager Energy Storage LLC |
The Washtenaw County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 219,230 | $76,751 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 4,949 | $82,170 | 0.43 |
| Power and communication line construction | 32 | $106,247 | 0.09 |
| Data processing and hosting | 869 | $124,280 | 1.28 |
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 Washtenaw County
4 data centers in Washtenaw County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Delay Watchlist 2
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saline Township 'The Barn', OpenAI/Oracle Stargate Campus | rezoning denied then litigation settled | 1,400 MW | ||
| University of Michigan / Los Alamos Data Center | delayed | — |
Washtenaw County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Washtenaw County, Monroe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washtenaw County | 370,214 | ▲ 0.3% | 316 MW | 100 MW | 4 | — |
| Jackson County | 159,552 | ▼ 2.8% | 674 MW | 225 MW | — | — |
| Lenawee County | 97,779 | ▼ 0.1% | 64 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Livingston County | 197,315 | ▲ 2.0% | 14 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Monroe County | 156,004 | ▲ 1.9% | 4,594 MW | 100 MW | 1 | — |
| Oakland County | 1,288,337 | ▼ 3.5% | 152 MW | — | 19 | — |
| Wayne County | 1,769,038 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,311 MW | 237 MW | 10 | — |
More of Michigan
Washtenaw County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Washtenaw County, Michigan?
4 utilities have service territory in Washtenaw County in the EIA-861 2024 report: DTE Electric Company, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Village of Chelsea - (MI), Village of Clinton - (MI). The largest, DTE Electric Company, charged residential customers 20.13¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Ann Arbor, MI in?
Ann Arbor is in Washtenaw County, Michigan. About 122,233 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ypsilanti Township, MI in?
Ypsilanti Township is in Washtenaw County, Michigan. About 53,721 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Pittsfield Township, MI in?
Pittsfield Township is in Washtenaw County, Michigan. About 40,265 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Washtenaw County?
7 operating plants with 316 MW of capacity. The largest is White Tail Solar (140 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Washtenaw County?
100 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 100 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Voyager Energy Storage LLC.
Are there data centers in Washtenaw County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 4 data centers in Washtenaw County.
Is Washtenaw County adding jobs?
Employers counted 219,230 jobs in 2025 against 218,476 in 2019 (+0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 4,676 to 4,949.
Does Washtenaw County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Washtenaw County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.