Hancock County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Montebello Township, Carthage Township and Hamilton
Hancock County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Construction employs 267, up 75.7% since 2019. Hancock County is home to Montebello Township, Carthage Township, Hamilton and Carthage. 2 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Dimension Energy LLC (solar). 2 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 4,257 jobs in 2025, up 4.6% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Hancock County
Hancock County is home to Montebello Township, Carthage Township, Hamilton and Carthage.
And 13 smaller places.
- Dallas City also extends into Henderson County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Niota.
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 Hancock County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,570 | 16,803 | ▼ 4.4% | 61st of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,069 | 4,257 | ▲ 4.6% | 24th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,218 | $48,353 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 152 | 267 | ▲ 75.7% | 2nd of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.1% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | no fleet today | 51st of 57 by size |
Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Hancock County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 16,803 people live here, down 4.4% since 2020.
Who powers Hancock County
Utilities with service territory in Hancock 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 | — | — | — | — | — |
| McDonough Power 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.
No operating power plant is located in Hancock County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zebrawood Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Dimension Energy LLC |
The Hancock County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,257 | $48,353 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 267 | $76,592 | 1.18 |
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 Hancock County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Hancock County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Hancock County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Hancock County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County | 16,803 | ▲ 4.6% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Adams County | 64,267 | ▼ 1.2% | 12 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| Clark County MO | 6,475 | ▼ 4.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Henderson County | 5,984 | ▲ 8.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Lee County IA | 32,306 | ▼ 11.2% | 458 MW | — | — | — |
| Lewis County MO | 9,879 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| McDonough County | 25,916 | ▼ 7.2% | 171 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 6,657 | ▲ 11.9% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Hancock County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Hancock County, Illinois?
4 utilities have service territory in Hancock County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Adams Electric Coop, McDonough Power Coop, Western Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Hancock County?
2 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 2 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Dimension Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in Hancock County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Hancock County.
Is Hancock County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,257 jobs in 2025 against 4,069 in 2019 (+4.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 152 to 267.
Does Hancock County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Hancock County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.