Ashland County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Ashland, Sanborn and White River
Ashland 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. Construction employs 562, up 54.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Ashland County is home to Ashland, Sanborn, White River and Gingles. 20 MW has retired here since 2019, including Bay Front (other technologies, 20 MW, 2019). Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 4.6% in 2019. Owners plan to retire 47 MW more by 2035, led by Bay Front in 2034.
Cities and towns in Ashland County
Ashland County is home to Ashland, Sanborn, White River and Gingles.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bayfront, Birch Hill, Clam Lake, Diaperville, Franks Field, Glidden, Jolmaville, Marengo, New Odanah, Odanah.
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 Ashland County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,028 | 16,203 | ▲ 1.1% | 62nd of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,092 | 7,864 | ▼ 2.8% | 50th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,124 | $53,468 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 363 | 562 | ▲ 54.8% | 7th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.6% | 3.6% | ▼ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 20 MW | — |
Its power plants have 48 MW of capacity, 98% of it other technologies. Electrical contractors employ 91, at an average $58,402 a year. Employers here counted 7,864 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019. Northern States Power Co is the largest utility serving Ashland County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.83¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 16,203 people live here, up 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Ashland County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −20 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Ashland County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 220,574 | 15.83¢ | 40% |
| North Central Power Co Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 4,991 | 15.73¢ | 21% |
| Bayfield Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Price Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 | 47 MW | 98% |
| Hydro | 1 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Front | Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Other technologies | 47 MW | 1952 |
| White River (WI) | Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Hydro | 1 MW | 1907 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Front | Other technologies | 20 MW | 2019 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Front | Other technologies | 47 MW | 2034 |
The Ashland County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,864 | $53,468 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 562 | $70,328 | 1.35 |
| Electrical contractors | 91 | $58,402 | 1.60 |
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 Ashland County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Ashland County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Sawyer County.
Ashland County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Ashland County, Sawyer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland County | 16,203 | ▼ 2.8% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
| Bayfield County | 16,787 | ▲ 2.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 6,127 | ▼ 2.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Price County | 13,988 | ▼ 11.3% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Sawyer County | 18,846 | ▲ 4.7% | 10 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Wisconsin
Ashland County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Ashland County, Wisconsin?
4 utilities have service territory in Ashland County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co, North Central Power Co Inc, Bayfield Electric Coop, Inc, Price Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Northern States Power Co, charged residential customers 15.83¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Ashland County?
2 operating plants with 48 MW of capacity. The largest is Bay Front (47 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Ashland County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Ashland County.
Is Ashland County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,864 jobs in 2025 against 8,092 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 363 to 562.
Does Ashland County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Ashland County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.