Burnett County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Grantsburg, Meenon and Oakland
Burnett 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 182, up 68.5% since 2019. Burnett County is home to Grantsburg, Meenon, Oakland and Jackson. 2 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by OneEnergy, Inc. (solar). 2 MW of it is already under construction or built. Employers here counted 5,212 jobs in 2025, up 12.8% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 72 Wisconsin counties). Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Burnett County
Burnett County is home to Grantsburg, Meenon, Oakland and Jackson.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Danbury.
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 Burnett County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,580 | 17,223 | ▲ 3.9% | 58th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,620 | 5,212 | ▲ 12.8% | 3rd of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,895 | $46,693 | ▲ 33.8% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 108 | 182 | ▲ 68.5% | 3rd of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 4.0% | ▼ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 8 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | 23% of today's fleet | 16th of 17 by size |
8 MW has retired here since 2019, including Danbury Diesel (petroleum, 8 MW, 2022). 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 11 MW of capacity, 58% of it petroleum. Electrical contractors employ 21, at an average $55,671 a year. Polk-Burnett Electric Coop is the largest utility serving Burnett County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 17,223 people live here, up 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Burnett County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Burnett County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk-Burnett Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,379 | 15.90¢ | 22% |
| Barron Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 19,266 | 15.72¢ | 9% |
| Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 12,990 | 13.84¢ | 29% |
| East Central Energy | Cooperative | Bundled | 5,182 | 16.65¢ | 12% |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 6 MW | 58% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 23% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 20% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grantsburg Diesel | Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co | Petroleum | 6 MW | 1963 |
| Viola | OneEnergy, Inc. | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Clam River Dam | Zero6 Energy Hydro | Hydro | 1 MW | 1942 |
| Danbury Dam | Zero6 Energy Hydro | Hydro | 1 MW | 1921 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falun | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | OneEnergy, Inc. |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danbury Diesel | Petroleum | 8 MW | 2022 |
The Burnett County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,212 | $46,693 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 182 | $56,513 | 0.66 |
| Electrical contractors | 21 | $55,671 | 0.56 |
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 Burnett County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Burnett County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Pine County, Polk County.
Burnett County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Burnett County, Chisago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burnett County | 17,223 | ▲ 12.8% | 11 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Barron County | 46,484 | ▼ 3.6% | 33 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Chisago County MN | 59,142 | ▲ 4.2% | 191 MW | 80 MW | — | — |
| Douglas County | 43,990 | ▼ 0.7% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
| Pine County MN | 30,472 | ▼ 5.0% | 28 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Polk County | 45,803 | ▼ 1.0% | 146 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Washburn County | 17,087 | ▼ 5.8% | 3 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Burnett County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Burnett County, Wisconsin?
4 utilities have service territory in Burnett County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Polk-Burnett Electric Coop, Barron Electric Coop, Northwestern Wisconsin Elec Co, East Central Energy. The largest, Polk-Burnett Electric Coop, charged residential customers 15.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Burnett County?
4 operating plants with 11 MW of capacity. The largest is Grantsburg Diesel (6 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Burnett County?
2 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 2 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is OneEnergy, Inc..
Are there data centers in Burnett County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Burnett County.
Is Burnett County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,212 jobs in 2025 against 4,620 in 2019 (+12.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 108 to 182.
Does Burnett County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Burnett County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.