Waupaca County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Waupaca, New London and Clintonville
Waupaca County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Waupaca County is home to Waupaca, most of New London (5,895 of its 7,726 residents), Clintonville and Farmington. Construction employs 687, up 24.7% since 2019. Next door, Portage County has 1,432 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 18,477 jobs in 2025, down 4.9% from 2019. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Waupaca County, one of 7 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 Waupaca County
Waupaca County is home to Waupaca, most of New London (5,895 of its 7,726 residents), Clintonville and Farmington.
And 5 smaller places.
- New London also extends into Outagamie County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Chain O' Lakes, King, Northport.
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 Waupaca County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 51,799 | 51,461 | ▼ 0.7% | 29th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 19,437 | 18,477 | ▼ 4.9% | 59th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,206 | $49,799 | ▲ 27.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 551 | 687 | ▲ 24.7% | 22nd of 61 by growth |
| Electric utility jobs (2019 → 2025) | 33 | 34 | ▲ 3.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.0% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 3.0% in 2019. 51,461 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Waupaca County
Utilities with service territory in Waupaca 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% |
| Adams-Columbia Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 35,910 | 17.63¢ | 16% |
| New London Electric&Water Util | Municipal | Bundled | 3,501 | 12.29¢ | 19% |
| Central Wisconsin Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Clintonville - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Waupaca County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Waupaca County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,477 | $49,799 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 687 | $57,976 | 0.70 |
| Electric utilities | 34 | $125,945 | 0.68 |
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 Waupaca County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Waupaca County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 4 neighboring counties have one: Marathon County, Outagamie County, Shawano County, Winnebago County.
Waupaca County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Waupaca County, Portage 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waupaca County | 51,461 | ▼ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Marathon County | 139,432 | ▼ 2.7% | 1,164 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Outagamie County | 195,894 | ▼ 0.4% | 838 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Portage County | 71,943 | ▼ 1.2% | 25 MW | 1,432 MW | — | — |
| Shawano County | 41,560 | ▼ 3.1% | 8 MW | — | — | 2 |
| Waushara County | 25,223 | ▼ 6.3% | 99 MW | 360 MW | — | — |
| Winnebago County | 174,218 | ▲ 0.4% | 378 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Wisconsin
Waupaca County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Waupaca County, Wisconsin?
7 utilities have service territory in Waupaca County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, Adams-Columbia Electric Coop. The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Waupaca County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Waupaca County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Portage County.
Is Waupaca County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,477 jobs in 2025 against 19,437 in 2019 (-4.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 551 to 687.
Does Waupaca County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Waupaca County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.