Calumet County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Harrison, Appleton and Chilton
The data center boom is not abstract in Calumet County: it is on the ground here. Construction employs 853, up 67.6% since 2019. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Calumet County, 5% of Wisconsin's total. Calumet County is home to Harrison, part of Appleton (10,792 of its 75,452 residents), Chilton and Brillion. Electrical contractors employ 137, up 63.1% since 2019 against up 21.6% statewide, at an average $66,332 a year. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Why Calumet County hasn't passed a data center moratorium”.
Cities and towns in Calumet County
Calumet County is home to Harrison, part of Appleton (10,792 of its 75,452 residents), Chilton and Brillion.
- Appleton also extends into Outagamie County, Winnebago County.
- Menasha also extends into Winnebago County.
- Kiel also extends into Manitowoc County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Brothertown, Forest Junction.
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 Calumet County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 52,475 | 53,982 | ▲ 2.9% | 27th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 14,539 | 16,212 | ▲ 11.5% | 4th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,210 | $52,772 | ▲ 31.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 509 | 853 | ▲ 67.6% | 4th of 61 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 84 | 137 | ▲ 63.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 2.8% | ▲ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — |
Employers here counted 16,212 jobs in 2025, up 11.5% from 2019 (the 4th fastest growth of 72 Wisconsin counties). 2 MW has retired here since 2019, including Holsum Elm Dairy (other technologies, 1 MW, 2019). Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Calumet County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. 53,982 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Calumet County
Utilities with service territory in Calumet County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,048,148 | 19.23¢ | 38% |
| Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 437,211 | 16.89¢ | 22% |
| Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 411,775 | 16.23¢ | 38% |
| City of Menasha - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,607 | 12.42¢ | 12% |
| City of New Holstein - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,255 | 13.33¢ | 53% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Calumet County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holsum Elm Dairy | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2019 |
| Holsum Irish Dairy | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Calumet County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 16,212 | $52,772 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 853 | $69,501 | 0.99 |
| Electrical contractors | 137 | $66,332 | 1.17 |
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 Calumet County
2 data centers in Calumet County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Calumet County hasn't passed a data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-09 |
Calumet County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Calumet County, Manitowoc 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet County | 53,982 | ▲ 11.5% | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Brown County | 275,803 | ▲ 1.1% | 352 MW | — | 3 | 2 |
| Fond du Lac County | 104,669 | ▼ 5.8% | 608 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Manitowoc County | 81,710 | ▼ 1.4% | 1,708 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Outagamie County | 195,894 | ▼ 0.4% | 838 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Sheboygan County | 118,047 | ▼ 0.7% | 914 MW | 99 MW | — | — |
| Winnebago County | 174,218 | ▲ 0.4% | 378 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Wisconsin
Calumet County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Calumet County, Wisconsin?
5 utilities have service territory in Calumet County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, City of Menasha - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Harrison, WI in?
Harrison is in Calumet County, Wisconsin. About 14,492 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
Is Appleton in Calumet County?
Partly. 10,792 of Appleton's 75,452 residents (14%) live in Calumet County; most of the city is in Outagamie County.
Are there data centers in Calumet County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Calumet County.
Is Calumet County adding jobs?
Employers counted 16,212 jobs in 2025 against 14,539 in 2019 (+11.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 509 to 853.
Does Calumet County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Calumet County, 0 in force.