Henderson County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Oquawka Township, Oquawka and Stronghurst Township
Henderson 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. Henderson County is home to Oquawka Township, Oquawka, Stronghurst Township and Gladstone Township. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. Next door, Mercer County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 1,176 jobs in 2025, up 8.8% from 2019. 1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Henderson County
Henderson County is home to Oquawka Township, Oquawka, Stronghurst Township and Gladstone Township.
- Dallas City also extends into Hancock County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Carman.
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 Henderson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,340 | 5,984 | ▼ 5.6% | 92nd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,081 | 1,176 | ▲ 8.8% | 11th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $29,250 | $47,267 | ▲ 61.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 62 | 47 | ▼ 24.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 3.0% | ▼ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 1 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Henderson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 5,984 people live here, down 5.6% since 2020.
Who powers Henderson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Henderson 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% |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 1 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galesburg Solar Array | Onsite Partners, LLC | Solar | 1 MW | 2020 |
The Henderson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,176 | $47,267 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 47 | $45,700 | 0.75 |
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 Henderson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Henderson County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Henderson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Henderson County, Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 5,984 | ▲ 8.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Des Moines County IA | 38,077 | ▼ 6.3% | 291 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 16,803 | ▲ 4.6% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Lee County IA | 32,306 | ▼ 11.2% | 458 MW | — | — | — |
| McDonough County | 25,916 | ▼ 7.2% | 171 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Mercer County | 15,229 | ▲ 1.0% | 10 MW | 42 MW | 1 | — |
| Warren County | 16,222 | ▼ 0.8% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Henderson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Henderson County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Henderson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, McDonough Power Coop, Western Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Henderson County?
1 operating plant with 1 MW of capacity. The largest is Galesburg Solar Array (1 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Henderson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Henderson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Mercer County.
Is Henderson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,176 jobs in 2025 against 1,081 in 2019 (+8.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 62 to 47.
Does Henderson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Henderson County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.