Microsoft Mount Pleasant Campus 2

The Racine-Mount Pleasant metro is small but punches well above its weight in data centers thanks to Microsoft's massive Mount Pleasant campus (originally announced as the Foxconn site, now reshaped around Microsoft's $3B+ investment). Four tracked facilities and a modest 16 NAICS 518 jobs (reported) — but the exceptional $244,198 industry average pay reflects the hyperscaler tenant concentration that doesn't show in headcount.

The trades pool is very small. Electricians at $82,510 across just 350 workers earn well above national — anchored by Wisconsin's IBEW presence and the Microsoft campus construction premium. HVAC technicians earn $61,740, a substantial gap. The 800 maintenance workforce earns $54,030. The Microsoft build itself has driven much of the recent trades activity.

For a trades worker, Racine-Mount Pleasant is a hyperscaler boom market in a tiny labor pool — IBEW electricians and skilled facility workers willing to relocate or commute have outsized leverage. Best for established trades who can land Microsoft-construction or operations roles. Cost of living is very low for the wage scale.