Oneida County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rhinelander, Minocqua and Newbold
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Oneida County. Oneida County is home to Rhinelander, Minocqua, Newbold and Pelican. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers through August 19, 2027”. Construction employs 1,030, up 29.9% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. Employers here counted 17,262 jobs in 2025, up 6.7% from 2019 (the 8th fastest growth of 72 Wisconsin counties).
Cities and towns in Oneida County
Oneida County is home to Rhinelander, Minocqua, Newbold and Pelican.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Lake Tomahawk, Minocqua, Three Lakes, Woodruff.
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 Oneida County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 37,864 | 38,131 | ▲ 0.7% | 39th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 16,173 | 17,262 | ▲ 6.7% | 8th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,141 | $54,389 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 793 | 1,030 | ▲ 29.9% | 14th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.1% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 8 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
8 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 30 MW of capacity, 33% of it natural gas. Wisconsin Public Service Corp is the largest utility serving Oneida County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 16.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 38,131 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Oneida County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +8 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Oneida 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 | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 10 MW | 33% |
| Coal | 9 MW | 30% |
| Solar | 8 MW | 25% |
| Hydro | 4 MW | 12% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhinelander Mill | Ahlstrom-Munksjo | Hydro | 21 MW | 1917 |
| Hodag Solar | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Solar | 8 MW | 2022 |
| Hat Rapids | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Hydro | 2 MW | 1923 |
The Oneida County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,262 | $54,389 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,030 | $74,401 | 1.13 |
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 Oneida County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers through August 19, 2027 | In force | 2026-08 |
Oneida County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Oneida County, Lincoln 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneida County | 38,131 | ▲ 6.7% | 30 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Forest County | 9,574 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Langlade County | 19,534 | ▼ 3.5% | 12 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 28,403 | ▼ 8.7% | 45 MW | — | — | — |
| Price County | 13,988 | ▼ 11.3% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Vilas County | 23,761 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Oneida County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Oneida County, Wisconsin?
3 utilities have service territory in Oneida County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Northern States Power Co, Price Electric Coop Inc. The largest, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, charged residential customers 16.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Oneida County?
3 operating plants with 30 MW of capacity. The largest is Rhinelander Mill (21 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Oneida County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Oneida County.
Is Oneida County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,262 jobs in 2025 against 16,173 in 2019 (+6.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 793 to 1,030.
Does Oneida County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Oneida County, 1 in force.