Manitowoc County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Manitowoc, Two Rivers and Kiel
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Manitowoc County. Manitowoc County is home to Manitowoc, Two Rivers, most of Kiel (3,628 of its 3,973 residents) and Manitowoc Rapids. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “18-month data center moratorium”. Electrical contractors employ 222, up 55.2% since 2019 against up 21.6% statewide, at an average $63,997 a year. Its power plants have 1,708 MW of capacity, 75% of it nuclear, the 3rd largest fleet in Wisconsin. 250 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County is home to Manitowoc, Two Rivers, most of Kiel (3,628 of its 3,973 residents) and Manitowoc Rapids.
And 3 smaller places.
- Kiel also extends into Calumet County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Clarks Mills, Collins.
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 Manitowoc County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 81,401 | 81,710 | ▲ 0.4% | 21st of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33,534 | 33,080 | ▼ 1.4% | 44th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,489 | $55,316 | ▲ 27.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,351 | 1,394 | ▲ 3.2% | 51st of 61 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 143 | 222 | ▲ 55.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 250 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Construction employs 1,394, up 3.2% since 2019. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Manitowoc County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Employers here counted 33,080 jobs in 2025, down 1.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 81,710 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020.
Who powers Manitowoc County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +250 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Manitowoc 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% |
| Manitowoc Public Utilities | Municipal | Bundled | 16,152 | 11.15¢ | 17% |
| Two Rivers Water & Light | Municipal | Bundled | 5,573 | 12.71¢ | 52% |
| City of Kiel - (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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 1,286 MW | 75% |
| Solar | 250 MW | 15% |
| Petroleum | 88 MW | 5% |
| Other technologies | 59 MW | 3% |
| Natural gas | 24 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point Beach Nuclear Plant | NextEra Energy Point Beach LLC | Nuclear | 1,311 MW | 1969 |
| Two Creeks Solar | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Solar | 150 MW | 2020 |
| Manitowoc | Manitowoc Public Utilities | Other technologies | 117 MW | 1955 |
| Point Beach Solar | Point Beach Solar | Solar | 100 MW | 2021 |
| Custer Energy Center | Manitowoc Public Utilities | Natural gas | 24 MW | 1999 |
| Ridgeview | Bio-Energy Partners | Other technologies | 5 MW | 2002 |
The Manitowoc County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 33,080 | $55,316 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,394 | $73,783 | 0.80 |
| Electrical contractors | 222 | $63,997 | 0.93 |
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 Manitowoc County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-month data center moratorium | In force | 2026-04 |
Manitowoc County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Manitowoc County, Sheboygan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc County | 81,710 | ▼ 1.4% | 1,708 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Brown County | 275,803 | ▲ 1.1% | 352 MW | — | 3 | 2 |
| Calumet County | 53,982 | ▲ 11.5% | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Kewaunee County | 20,758 | ▲ 1.9% | 11 MW | — | — | — |
| Sheboygan County | 118,047 | ▼ 0.7% | 914 MW | 99 MW | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Manitowoc County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin?
6 utilities have service territory in Manitowoc County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Manitowoc Public Utilities. The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Manitowoc, WI in?
Manitowoc is in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. About 34,671 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Two Rivers, WI in?
Two Rivers is in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. About 11,222 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Manitowoc County?
6 operating plants with 1,708 MW of capacity. The largest is Point Beach Nuclear Plant (1,311 MW, nuclear).
Are there data centers in Manitowoc County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Manitowoc County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Brown County.
Is Manitowoc County adding jobs?
Employers counted 33,080 jobs in 2025 against 33,534 in 2019 (-1.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,351 to 1,394.
Does Manitowoc County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Manitowoc County, 1 in force.