Alexander County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cairo
No data center or power plant project is on record in Alexander County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Alexander County is home to Cairo. Employers here counted 859 jobs in 2025, down 14.2% from 2019. Next door, Pulaski County has 417 MW of planned generation. 4,570 people live here, down 11.6% since 2020. Unemployment was 5.6% in August 2026, against 6.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Alexander County
Alexander County is home to Cairo.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Olive Branch, Unity.
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 Alexander County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,172 | 4,570 | ▼ 11.6% | 99th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,001 | 859 | ▼ 14.2% | 96th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,980 | $51,124 | ▲ 38.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.2% | 5.6% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Alexander County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Alexander County
Utilities with service territory in Alexander 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% |
| Cairo Public Utility Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southern 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.
No operating power plant is located in Alexander County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Alexander County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 859 | $51,124 | 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 Alexander County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Alexander County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Alexander County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Alexander County, Pulaski 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County | 4,570 | ▼ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Ballard County KY | 7,594 | ▲ 20.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Cape Girardeau County MO | 83,999 | ▲ 0.1% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Mississippi County MO | 12,003 | ▼ 18.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 4,820 | ▼ 22.9% | 5 MW | 417 MW | — | — |
| Scott County MO | 37,975 | ▲ 4.5% | 610 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County | 16,656 | ▲ 3.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Alexander County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Alexander County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Alexander County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Cairo Public Utility Company, Southern Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Alexander County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Alexander County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pulaski County.
Is Alexander County adding jobs?
Employers counted 859 jobs in 2025 against 1,001 in 2019 (-14.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Alexander County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Alexander County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.