Edwards County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Albion
No data center or power plant project is on record in Edwards County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Unemployment was 7.0% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Edwards County is home to Albion, West Salem and part of Grayville (648 of its 1,483 residents). Employers here counted 1,693 jobs in 2025, down 27.0% from 2019. Next door, White County has 303 MW of planned generation. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Edwards County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Edwards County
Edwards County is home to Albion, West Salem and part of Grayville (648 of its 1,483 residents).
- Grayville also extends into White County.
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 Edwards County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,207 | 5,898 | ▼ 5.0% | 93rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,318 | 1,693 | ▼ 27.0% | 101st of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,253 | $46,501 | ▲ 18.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 7.0% | ▲ 3.1pts | — |
5,898 people live here, down 5.0% since 2020.
Who powers Edwards County
Utilities with service territory in Edwards 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% |
| Wayne-White Counties Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,957 | 16.58¢ | 21% |
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 Edwards County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Edwards County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,693 | $46,501 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 63 | $47,076 | 0.70 |
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 Edwards County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Edwards County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Edwards County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Edwards County, Gibson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards County | 5,898 | ▼ 27.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Gibson County IN | 33,091 | ▲ 2.1% | 3,540 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Richland County | 15,219 | ▼ 1.7% | 2 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Wabash County | 10,907 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 15,882 | ▲ 2.4% | — | — | — | — |
| White County | 13,250 | ▼ 4.0% | 312 MW | 303 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Edwards County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Edwards County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Edwards County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Wayne-White Counties Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Edwards County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Edwards County. The nearest activity on record is next door in White County.
Is Edwards County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,693 jobs in 2025 against 2,318 in 2019 (-27.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Edwards County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Edwards County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.