Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oshkosh, Neenah and Fox Crossing
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Winnebago County. Winnebago County is home to Oshkosh, Neenah, Fox Crossing and most of Menasha (15,153 of its 18,385 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers”. Construction employs 5,700, up 4.4% since 2019. 5 MW has retired here since 2019, including Winnebago County Landfill Gas (other technologies, 3 MW, 2024). 7 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Winnebago County
Winnebago County is home to Oshkosh, Neenah, Fox Crossing and most of Menasha (15,153 of its 18,385 residents).
- Menasha also extends into Calumet County.
- Appleton also extends into Outagamie County, Calumet County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Butte des Morts, Eureka, Waukau, Winchester.
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 Winnebago County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 171,833 | 174,218 | ▲ 1.4% | 7th of 72 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 93,007 | 93,391 | ▲ 0.4% | 28th of 72 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $54,204 | $67,173 | ▲ 23.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,460 | 5,700 | ▲ 4.4% | 47th of 61 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,175 | 1,192 | ▲ 1.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 7 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — |
Owners plan to retire 1 MW more by 2035, led by Winnebago County Landfill Gas in 2027. Its power plants have 378 MW of capacity, 98% of it natural gas. Electrical contractors employ 1,192, up 1.4% since 2019 against up 21.6% statewide, at an average $110,044 a year. Wisconsin Electric Power Co is the largest utility serving Winnebago County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.25¢ median for Wisconsin utilities. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. Employers here counted 93,391 jobs in 2025, up 0.4% from 2019. 174,218 people live here, up 1.4% since 2020, 7th of 72 Wisconsin counties by population.
Who powers Winnebago County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Winnebago 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% |
| City of Menasha - (WI) | Municipal | Bundled | 8,607 | 12.42¢ | 12% |
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 | 371 MW | 98% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 2% |
| Other technologies | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Energy Neenah | Wisconsin Power & Light Co | Natural gas | 371 MW | 2000 |
| Perch Solar WI, LLC | Wisconsin Electric Power Co | Solar | 6 MW | 2026 |
| Winnebago County Landfill Gas | Winnebago County - (WI) | Other technologies | 2 MW | 2000 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County Landfill Gas | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2024 |
| Oshkosh Foundation Rosedale Biodigester LLC | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2019 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County Landfill Gas | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2027 |
The Winnebago County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 93,391 | $67,173 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 5,700 | $94,571 | 1.15 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,192 | $110,044 | 1.77 |
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 Winnebago County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers | In force | — |
Winnebago County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Winnebago County, Waushara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 174,218 | ▲ 0.4% | 378 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Calumet County | 53,982 | ▲ 11.5% | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Fond du Lac County | 104,669 | ▼ 5.8% | 608 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Green Lake County | 19,305 | ▼ 0.8% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Outagamie County | 195,894 | ▼ 0.4% | 838 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Waupaca County | 51,461 | ▼ 4.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Waushara County | 25,223 | ▼ 6.3% | 99 MW | 360 MW | — | — |
More of Wisconsin
Winnebago County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Winnebago County, Wisconsin?
4 utilities have service territory in Winnebago County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Wisconsin Electric Power Co, Wisconsin Power & Light Co, Wisconsin Public Service Corp, City of Menasha - (WI). The largest, Wisconsin Electric Power Co, charged residential customers 19.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Oshkosh, WI in?
Oshkosh is in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. About 67,460 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Neenah, WI in?
Neenah is in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. About 27,638 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Fox Crossing, WI in?
Fox Crossing is in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. About 19,320 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Winnebago County?
3 operating plants with 378 MW of capacity. The largest is Alliant Energy Neenah (371 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Winnebago County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Winnebago County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Waushara County.
Is Winnebago County adding jobs?
Employers counted 93,391 jobs in 2025 against 93,007 in 2019 (+0.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,460 to 5,700.
Does Winnebago County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Winnebago County, 1 in force.