Wexford County, Michigan: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cadillac, Haring Township and Cherry Grove Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Wexford County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Wexford County is home to Cadillac, Haring Township, Cherry Grove Township and Clam Lake Township. 44 MW has retired here since 2019, including Cadillac Renewable Energy (other technologies, 44 MW, 2020). Employers here counted 13,082 jobs in 2025, down 7.2% from 2019. 44 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly other technologies. Construction employs 288, down 1.0% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Wexford County
Wexford County is home to Cadillac, Haring Township, Cherry Grove Township and Clam Lake Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Boon, Caberfae, Haring, Wedgewood.
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 Wexford County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 33,684 | 34,445 | ▲ 2.3% | 45th of 83 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,092 | 13,082 | ▼ 7.2% | 76th of 83 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,793 | $55,127 | ▲ 35.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 291 | 288 | ▼ 1.0% | 59th of 69 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 5.0% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 44 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 44 MW | — |
Its power plants have 61 MW of capacity, 72% of it other technologies. Unemployment was 5.0% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Consumers Energy Co - (MI) is the largest utility serving Wexford County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.11¢/kWh in 2024, above the 16.89¢ median for Michigan utilities. 34,445 people live here, up 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Wexford County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +0 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Wexford 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% |
| Cherryland Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,100 | 16.36¢ | 28% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 44 MW | 72% |
| Hydro | 17 MW | 28% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Renewable Energy | Cadillac Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 44 MW | 2020 |
| Hodenpyl | Consumers Energy Co - (MI) | Hydro | 17 MW | 1925 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac Renewable Energy | Other technologies | 44 MW | 2020 |
The Wexford County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,082 | $55,127 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 288 | $57,399 | 0.42 |
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 Wexford County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Wexford County. Michigan has 91 local measures on record statewide.
Wexford County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Wexford County, Manistee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wexford County | 34,445 | ▼ 7.2% | 61 MW | — | — | — |
| Benzie County | 18,568 | ▲ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Grand Traverse County | 96,729 | ▲ 3.1% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Kalkaska County | 18,693 | ▲ 15.7% | 60 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 13,182 | ▼ 2.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Manistee County | 25,656 | ▲ 3.7% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Missaukee County | 15,274 | ▲ 23.2% | 86 MW | — | — | — |
| Osceola County | 23,516 | ▲ 5.9% | 51 MW | — | — | — |
More of Michigan
Wexford County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Wexford County, Michigan?
3 utilities have service territory in Wexford County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Consumers Energy Co - (MI), Great Lakes Energy Coop, Cherryland Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Consumers Energy Co - (MI), charged residential customers 19.11¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Cadillac, MI in?
Cadillac is in Wexford County, Michigan. About 10,438 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Wexford County?
2 operating plants with 61 MW of capacity. The largest is Cadillac Renewable Energy (44 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Wexford County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Wexford County.
Is Wexford County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,082 jobs in 2025 against 14,092 in 2019 (-7.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 291 to 288.
Does Wexford County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Wexford County. Michigan has 91 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.