Crawford County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Prairie du Chien, Clayton and Bridgeport
No data center or power plant project is on record in Crawford County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Crawford County is home to Prairie du Chien, Clayton, Bridgeport and Seneca. Employers here counted 6,560 jobs in 2025, down 9.4% from 2019. Construction employs 109, up 3.8% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Wisconsin Power & Light Co is the largest utility serving Crawford County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.89¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities.
Cities and towns in Crawford County
Crawford County is home to Prairie du Chien, Clayton, Bridgeport and Seneca.
- De Soto also extends into Vernon County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Seneca.
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 Crawford County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,082 | 15,910 | ▼ 1.1% | 64th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,237 | 6,560 | ▼ 9.4% | 67th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,410 | $46,850 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 105 | 109 | ▲ 3.8% | 50th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
15,910 people live here, down 1.1% since 2020.
Who powers Crawford County
Utilities with service territory in Crawford County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 437,211 | 16.89¢ | 22% |
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 220,574 | 15.83¢ | 40% |
| Scenic Rivers Energy Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,597 | 15.23¢ | 1% |
| Richland Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vernon Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Crawford County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Crawford County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,560 | $46,850 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 109 | $53,468 | 0.31 |
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 Crawford County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Crawford County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Clayton County, Grant County.
Crawford County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Crawford County, Grant 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford County | 15,910 | ▼ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Allamakee County IA | 14,238 | ▼ 5.0% | 2 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Clayton County IA | 16,845 | ▼ 8.5% | 6 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Grant County | 52,446 | ▼ 4.2% | 453 MW | 67 MW | — | 1 |
| Richland County | 17,036 | ▲ 0.2% | 56 MW | — | — | — |
| Vernon County | 31,443 | ▼ 1.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Crawford County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Crawford County, Wisconsin?
5 utilities have service territory in Crawford County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Northern States Power Co, Scenic Rivers Energy Coop, Richland Electric Coop. The largest, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, charged residential customers 16.89¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Crawford County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Crawford County.
Is Crawford County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,560 jobs in 2025 against 7,237 in 2019 (-9.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 105 to 109.
Does Crawford County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Crawford County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.