Clark County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Neillsville, Abbotsford and Thorp
Clark County is where a large share of Wisconsin's next power plants are planned. Clark County is home to Neillsville, most of Abbotsford (1,785 of its 2,413 residents), Thorp and Fremont. Construction employs 739, up 25.0% since 2019. 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. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar.
Cities and towns in Clark County
Clark County is home to Neillsville, most of Abbotsford (1,785 of its 2,413 residents), Thorp and Fremont.
And 16 smaller places.
- Abbotsford also extends into Marathon County.
- Colby also extends into Marathon County.
- Unity also extends into Marathon County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chili, Humbird.
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 Clark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 34,640 | 35,052 | ▲ 1.2% | 41st of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,105 | 11,428 | ▲ 2.9% | 17th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,932 | $53,555 | ▲ 37.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 591 | 739 | ▲ 25.0% | 20th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | 125% of today's fleet | 15th of 17 by size |
Employers here counted 11,428 jobs in 2025, up 2.9% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Northern States Power Co is the largest utility serving Clark County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.83¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 35,052 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Clark County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clark 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% |
| City of Marshfield - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 11,928 | 10.07¢ | 24% |
| Clark Electric Coop - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eau Claire Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jackson Electric Coop, Inc - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Taylor Electric Coop - (WI) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popple Creek (Clark 1) | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Solar-Longwood | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | OneEnergy, Inc. |
The Clark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 11,428 | $53,555 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 739 | $77,656 | 1.22 |
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 Clark County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clark County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 3 neighboring counties have one: Chippewa County, Eau Claire County, Marathon County.
Clark County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clark County, Marathon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | 35,052 | ▲ 2.9% | 2 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Chippewa County | 67,614 | ▲ 10.6% | 572 MW | 4 MW | — | 1 |
| Eau Claire County | 109,033 | ▲ 0.1% | 15 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Jackson County | 20,999 | ▼ 13.5% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Marathon County | 139,432 | ▼ 2.7% | 1,164 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Taylor County | 20,118 | ▼ 4.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Wood County | 74,060 | ▼ 8.6% | 407 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Wisconsin
Clark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clark County, Wisconsin?
6 utilities have service territory in Clark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern States Power Co, City of Marshfield - (WI), Clark Electric Coop - (WI), Eau Claire Electric Coop. The largest, Northern States Power Co, charged residential customers 15.83¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clark County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Popple Creek (Clark 1) (2 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Clark 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 Clark County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clark County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Wood County.
Is Clark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 11,428 jobs in 2025 against 11,105 in 2019 (+2.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 591 to 739.
Does Clark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clark County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.