Waushara County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Wautoma, Redgranite and Marion
Waushara County is where a large share of Wisconsin's next power plants are planned. Waushara County is home to Wautoma, Redgranite, Marion and Leon. 360 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Dawn Break Solar, LLC (battery storage), the 5th largest pipeline among Wisconsin's counties. Construction employs 213, up 17.7% since 2019. 99 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 5,774 jobs in 2025, down 6.3% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Waushara County
Waushara County is home to Wautoma, Redgranite, Marion and Leon.
- Berlin also extends into Green Lake County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Pine River, Poy Sippi, Tustin.
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 Waushara County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 24,532 | 25,223 | ▲ 2.8% | 47th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,165 | 5,774 | ▼ 6.3% | 63rd of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,901 | $45,778 | ▲ 27.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 181 | 213 | ▲ 17.7% | 30th of 61 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 3.3% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 99 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 360 MW | 364% of today's fleet | 5th of 17 by size |
Its power plants have 99 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Waushara County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. 25,223 people live here, up 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Waushara County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +99 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Waushara 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% |
| Pioneer Power and Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 2,021 | 17.13¢ | 19% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 99 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wautoma Solar | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Solar | 99 MW | 2023 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawn Break Solar | Batteries | 180 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
| Dawn Break Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 180 MW | Approvals pending | 2029 | Dawn Break Solar, LLC |
The Waushara County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,774 | $45,778 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 213 | $51,500 | 0.70 |
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 Waushara County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Waushara County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Winnebago County.
Waushara County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Waushara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waushara County | 25,223 | ▼ 6.3% | 99 MW | 360 MW | — | — |
| Adams County | 21,752 | ▲ 0.4% | 23 MW | — | — | — |
| Green Lake County | 19,305 | ▼ 0.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Marquette County | 15,927 | ▲ 0.1% | — | — | 1 | — |
| Portage County | 71,943 | ▼ 1.2% | 25 MW | 1,432 MW | — | — |
| Waupaca County | 51,461 | ▼ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Winnebago County | 174,218 | ▲ 0.4% | 378 MW | — | — | 1 |
More of Wisconsin
Waushara County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Waushara County, Wisconsin?
5 utilities have service territory in Waushara 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.
What power plants are in Waushara County?
1 operating plant with 99 MW of capacity. The largest is Wautoma Solar (99 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Waushara County?
360 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dawn Break Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Waushara County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Waushara County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Portage County.
Is Waushara County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,774 jobs in 2025 against 6,165 in 2019 (-6.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 181 to 213.
Does Waushara County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Waushara County. Wisconsin has 49 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.