Vilas County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Lac du Flambeau, Arbor Vitae and Lincoln
No data center or power plant project is on record in Vilas County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Vilas County is home to Lac du Flambeau, Arbor Vitae, Lincoln and St. Germain. Construction employs 644, up 7.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 8,411 jobs in 2025, up 3.3% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.1% in 2019. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Vilas 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.
Cities and towns in Vilas County
Vilas County is home to Lac du Flambeau, Arbor Vitae, Lincoln and St. Germain.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Boulder Junction, Lac du Flambeau, Sayner.
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 Vilas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 23,093 | 23,761 | ▲ 2.9% | 49th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,145 | 8,411 | ▲ 3.3% | 15th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,589 | $47,284 | ▲ 36.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 597 | 644 | ▲ 7.9% | 43rd of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.1% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
23,761 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers Vilas County
Utilities with service territory in Vilas 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% |
| Northern States Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 220,574 | 15.83¢ | 40% |
| City of Eagle River - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 1,055 | 14.49¢ | 79% |
| Bayfield Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
No operating power plant is located in Vilas County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Vilas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,411 | $47,284 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 644 | $60,642 | 1.45 |
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 Vilas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Vilas County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Oneida County.
Vilas County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Vilas County, Oneida 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vilas County | 23,761 | ▲ 3.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Forest County | 9,574 | ▲ 0.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Gogebic County MI | 14,285 | ▼ 6.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Iron County MI | 11,757 | ▼ 9.9% | 27 MW | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 6,127 | ▼ 2.4% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Oneida County | 38,131 | ▲ 6.7% | 30 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Price County | 13,988 | ▼ 11.3% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Vilas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Vilas County, Wisconsin?
6 utilities have service territory in Vilas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Northern States Power Co, City of Eagle River - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Vilas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Vilas County.
Is Vilas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,411 jobs in 2025 against 8,145 in 2019 (+3.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 597 to 644.
Does Vilas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Vilas County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.