Florence County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Florence and Aurora
No data center or power plant project is on record in Florence County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Florence County is home to Florence and Aurora. Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 954 jobs in 2025, down 8.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 18 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Florence County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities.
Cities and towns in Florence County
Florence County is home to Florence and Aurora.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Florence, Long Lake.
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 Florence County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,565 | 4,748 | ▲ 4.0% | 71st of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,040 | 954 | ▼ 8.3% | 64th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,763 | $37,295 | ▲ 29.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 3.6% | ▼ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
4,748 people live here, up 4.0% since 2020.
Who powers Florence County
Utilities with service territory in Florence 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 Public Service Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 411,775 | 16.23¢ | 38% |
| Florence Utility Comm | Municipal | Bundled | 1,428 | 15.54¢ | 52% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 18 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Falls (WI) | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 9 MW | 2016 |
| Brule | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 5 MW | 1919 |
| Pine | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Hydro | 4 MW | 1922 |
The Florence County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 954 | $37,295 | 1.00 |
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 Florence County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Florence County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide.
Florence County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Florence County, Marinette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence County | 4,748 | ▼ 8.3% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickinson County MI | 25,827 | ● 0.0% | 90 MW | — | — | — |
| Forest County | 9,574 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Iron County MI | 11,757 | ▼ 9.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Marinette County | 42,574 | ▼ 3.8% | 303 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Florence County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Florence County, Wisconsin?
3 utilities have service territory in Florence County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Florence Utility Comm. The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Florence County?
3 operating plants with 18 MW of capacity. The largest is Twin Falls (WI) (9 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Florence County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Florence County.
Is Florence County adding jobs?
Employers counted 954 jobs in 2025 against 1,040 in 2019 (-8.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Florence County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Florence County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.