Marinette County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Marinette, Stephenson and Peshtigo
No data center or power plant project is on record in Marinette County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Marinette County is home to Marinette, Stephenson, Peshtigo and Porterfield. Construction employs 724, up 4.0% since 2019. Its power plants have 303 MW of capacity, 89% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 17,631 jobs in 2025, down 3.8% from 2019. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Marinette 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 Marinette County
Marinette County is home to Marinette, Stephenson, Peshtigo and Porterfield.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Amberg, Dunbar, Goodman, Pembine.
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 Marinette County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 41,887 | 42,574 | ▲ 1.6% | 36th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 18,324 | 17,631 | ▼ 3.8% | 54th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,637 | $54,089 | ▲ 26.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 696 | 724 | ▲ 4.0% | 49th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 4.2% | ● 0.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 42,574 people live here, up 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Marinette County
Utilities with service territory in Marinette 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% |
| Oconto Electric Cooperative | — | — | — | — | — |
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 9
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 270 MW | 89% |
| Hydro | 33 MW | 11% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Marinette | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Natural gas | 187 MW | 1971 |
| West Marinette 34 | Madison Gas & Electric Co | Natural gas | 83 MW | 2000 |
| Little Quinnesec Falls Hydro Project | Eagle Creek Renewable Energy, LLC | Hydro | 9 MW | 1900 |
| High Falls (WI) | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 7 MW | 1910 |
| Caldron Falls | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 6 MW | 1924 |
| Sandstone Rapids | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 4 MW | 1925 |
The Marinette County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,631 | $54,089 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 724 | $59,183 | 0.78 |
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 Marinette County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Marinette County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide.
Marinette County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Marinette County, Dickinson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marinette County | 42,574 | ▼ 3.8% | 303 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickinson County MI | 25,827 | ● 0.0% | 90 MW | — | — | — |
| Florence County | 4,748 | ▼ 8.3% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Forest County | 9,574 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Menominee County MI | 22,941 | ▼ 3.3% | 25 MW | — | — | — |
| Oconto County | 40,195 | ▲ 2.0% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Marinette County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Marinette County, Wisconsin?
3 utilities have service territory in Marinette County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Oconto Electric Cooperative. The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Marinette, WI in?
Marinette is in Marinette County, Wisconsin. About 11,168 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Marinette County?
9 operating plants with 303 MW of capacity. The largest is West Marinette (187 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Marinette County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Marinette County.
Is Marinette County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,631 jobs in 2025 against 18,324 in 2019 (-3.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 696 to 724.
Does Marinette County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Marinette County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.