Adams County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Quincy, Melrose Township and Ellington Township
Adams County is a generation frontier for Illinois. Adams County is home to Quincy, Melrose Township, Ellington Township and Riverside Township. 140 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Strata Clean Energy (solar). 12 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Adams County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Adams County
Adams County is home to Quincy, Melrose Township, Ellington Township and Riverside Township.
And 11 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Adams, Beverly, Bloomfield, Burton, Fall Creek, Fowler, Kingston, Marcelline, Meyer, Paloma, Richfield.
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 Adams County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 65,637 | 64,267 | ▼ 2.1% | 23rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 32,763 | 32,380 | ▼ 1.2% | 55th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,814 | $56,401 | ▲ 28.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.9% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 140 MW | 1167% of today's fleet | 16th of 57 by size |
Employers here counted 32,380 jobs in 2025, down 1.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 2.9% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 64,267 people live here, down 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Adams County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +12 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Adams County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameren Illinois Company | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,060,894 | 15.26¢ | 28% |
| Adams Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Illinois Rural Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Western Illinois Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thoroman | Generate Capital | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
| Illinois PV Adams 1A | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Illinois PV Adams 1B | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Illinois PV Adams 2A | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Illinois PV Adams 2B | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| JM Huber at Quincy | Luminace Solar Illinois 2, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Creek Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 140 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Strata Clean Energy |
The Adams County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 32,380 | $56,401 | 1.00 |
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 Adams County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Adams County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Marion County.
Adams County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Adams County, Marion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 64,267 | ▼ 1.2% | 12 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| Brown County | 6,401 | ▲ 10.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 16,803 | ▲ 4.6% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Lewis County MO | 9,879 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Marion County MO | 28,525 | ▼ 2.5% | — | 76 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Pike County | 14,231 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 6,657 | ▲ 11.9% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Adams County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Adams County, Illinois?
4 utilities have service territory in Adams County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Adams Electric Coop, Illinois Rural Electric Coop, Western Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Quincy, IL in?
Quincy is in Adams County, Illinois. About 38,918 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Adams County?
6 operating plants with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Thoroman (2 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Adams County?
140 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Strata Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in Adams County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Adams County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Marion County.
Is Adams County adding jobs?
Employers counted 32,380 jobs in 2025 against 32,763 in 2019 (-1.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Adams County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Adams County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.