Calhoun County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Calhoun County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Calhoun County is home to Hardin. Next door, St. Charles County, Missouri, has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 5.0% in 2019. Employers here counted 744 jobs in 2025, up 4.5% from 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Calhoun County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Calhoun County
Calhoun County is home to Hardin.
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 Calhoun County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,399 | 4,300 | ▼ 2.3% | 100th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 712 | 744 | ▲ 4.5% | 26th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $28,047 | $37,510 | ▲ 33.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 30 | 34 | ▲ 13.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.0% | 3.7% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
4,300 people live here, down 2.3% since 2020.
Who powers Calhoun County
Utilities with service territory in Calhoun 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% |
| Illinois Rural Electric 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 Calhoun County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Calhoun County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 744 | $37,510 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 34 | $65,747 | 0.86 |
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 Calhoun County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Calhoun County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: St. Charles County.
Calhoun County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Calhoun County, St. Charles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 4,300 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 11,313 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Jersey County | 21,160 | ▲ 3.6% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County MO | 66,676 | ▲ 9.4% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Pike County | 14,231 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Pike County MO | 17,955 | ▼ 2.0% | 290 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Charles County MO | 426,499 | ▲ 7.1% | 1,104 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Illinois
Calhoun County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Calhoun County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Calhoun County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Illinois Rural Electric Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Calhoun County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Calhoun County. The nearest activity on record is next door in St. Charles County.
Is Calhoun County adding jobs?
Employers counted 744 jobs in 2025 against 712 in 2019 (+4.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 30 to 34.
Does Calhoun County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Calhoun County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.