Lincoln County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Merrill, Tomahawk and Bradley
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lincoln County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lincoln County is home to Merrill, Tomahawk, Bradley and Pine River. Construction employs 403, down 12.8% since 2019. Employers here counted 9,938 jobs in 2025, down 8.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 45 MW of capacity, 65% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 118, at an average $72,646 a year.
Cities and towns in Lincoln County
Lincoln County is home to Merrill, Tomahawk, Bradley and Pine River.
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 Lincoln County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 28,423 | 28,403 | ▼ 0.1% | 45th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,887 | 9,938 | ▼ 8.7% | 66th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,793 | $54,291 | ▲ 29.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 462 | 403 | ▼ 12.8% | 59th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 3.8% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Wisconsin Public Service Corp is the largest utility serving Lincoln County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 28,403 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Lincoln County
Utilities with service territory in Lincoln County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Investor Owned | Bundled | 411,775 | 16.23¢ | 38% |
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 220,574 | 15.83¢ | 40% |
| Price Electric Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 5
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 29 MW | 65% |
| Other technologies | 16 MW | 35% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packaging of America Tomahawk Mill | PCA-Tomahawk Mill | Hydro | 19 MW | 1920 |
| Grandfather Falls | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 17 MW | 1938 |
| Alexander | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 4 MW | 1925 |
| Tomahawk | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 3 MW | 1938 |
| Merrill | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 2 MW | 1917 |
The Lincoln County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,938 | $54,291 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 403 | $68,222 | 0.77 |
| Electrical contractors | 118 | $72,646 | 1.65 |
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 Lincoln County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lincoln County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Marathon County, Oneida County.
Lincoln County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 28,403 | ▼ 8.7% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Langlade County | 19,534 | ▼ 3.5% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Marathon County | 139,432 | ▼ 2.7% | 1,164 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Oneida County | 38,131 | ▲ 6.7% | 30 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Price County | 13,988 | ▼ 11.3% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Taylor County | 20,118 | ▼ 4.5% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Lincoln County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lincoln County, Wisconsin?
4 utilities have service territory in Lincoln County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Northern States Power Co, Price Electric Coop Inc, Taylor Electric Coop - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, charged residential customers 16.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lincoln County?
5 operating plants with 45 MW of capacity. The largest is Packaging of America Tomahawk Mill (19 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Lincoln County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lincoln County.
Is Lincoln County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,938 jobs in 2025 against 10,887 in 2019 (-8.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 462 to 403.
Does Lincoln County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lincoln County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.