Waukesha County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Waukesha, Brookfield and Menomonee Falls
The data center boom is not abstract in Waukesha County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Waukesha County. Waukesha County is home to Waukesha, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls and New Berlin. Construction employs 20,305, up 15.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 4,204, up 27.5% since 2019 against up 21.6% statewide, at an average $92,404 a year. 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Waukesha County
Waukesha County is home to Waukesha, Brookfield, Menomonee Falls and New Berlin.
And 7 smaller places.
- Mukwonago also extends into Walworth County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): North Lake, Okauchee Lake.
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 Waukesha County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 407,506 | 417,210 | ▲ 2.4% | 3rd of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 246,034 | 248,662 | ▲ 1.1% | 24th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,236 | $71,739 | ▲ 23.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,572 | 20,305 | ▲ 15.6% | 35th of 61 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,296 | 4,204 | ▲ 27.5% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,280 | 258 | ▼ 79.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 4 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Waukesha County, one of 2 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 248,662 jobs in 2025, up 1.1% from 2019. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 417,210 people live here, up 2.4% since 2020, 3rd of 72 Wisconsin counties by population.
Who powers Waukesha County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Waukesha 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% |
| Oconomowoc Utilities | Municipal | Bundled | 9,972 | 13.75¢ | 51% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 4 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lannon Stone | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
| Harley-Davison Powertrain Operations | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
The Waukesha County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 248,662 | $71,739 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 20,305 | $93,644 | 1.54 |
| Electrical contractors | 4,204 | $92,404 | 2.34 |
| Data processing and hosting | 258 | $448,939 | 0.33 |
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 Waukesha County
1 data center in Waukesha County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Waukesha County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Waukesha County, Milwaukee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha County | 417,210 | ▲ 1.1% | 4 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Dodge County | 89,097 | ▲ 3.7% | 337 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jefferson County | 86,505 | ▲ 0.5% | 760 MW | 249 MW | — | — |
| Milwaukee County | 924,216 | ▼ 4.0% | 2,370 MW | 1,186 MW | 11 | — |
| Ozaukee County | 94,346 | ▼ 5.0% | 1,237 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Racine County | 198,919 | ▲ 0.6% | 340 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Walworth County | 106,127 | ▲ 8.1% | 26 MW | 324 MW | — | — |
| Washington County | 139,238 | ▲ 1.7% | 408 MW | — | 1 | — |
More of Wisconsin
Waukesha County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
2 utilities have service territory in Waukesha County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Oconomowoc Utilities. The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Waukesha, WI in?
Waukesha is in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. About 70,872 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Brookfield, WI in?
Brookfield is in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. About 41,448 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Menomonee Falls, WI in?
Menomonee Falls is in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. About 41,291 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Waukesha County?
2 operating plants with 4 MW of capacity. The largest is Lannon Stone (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Waukesha County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Waukesha County.
Is Waukesha County adding jobs?
Employers counted 248,662 jobs in 2025 against 246,034 in 2019 (+1.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 17,572 to 20,305.
Does Waukesha County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Waukesha County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.