Iroquois County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Watseka, Middleport Township and Chebanse Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Iroquois County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Iroquois County is home to Watseka, Middleport Township, Chebanse Township and Belmont Township. 4 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Gilman Solar LLC PV (solar). 4 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Kankakee County has 320 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 7,015 jobs in 2025, down 9.8% from 2019. Construction employs 452, unchanged since 2019.
Cities and towns in Iroquois County
Iroquois County is home to Watseka, Middleport Township, Chebanse Township and Belmont Township.
And 16 smaller places.
- Chebanse also extends into Kankakee 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 Iroquois County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 26,967 | 26,150 | ▼ 3.0% | 50th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 7,779 | 7,015 | ▼ 9.8% | 92nd of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,032 | $51,637 | ▲ 47.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 452 | 452 | ● 0.0% | 43rd of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 4 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 48th of 57 by size |
2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 303 MW of capacity, 99% of it wind. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Iroquois County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 26,150 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Iroquois County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Iroquois 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% |
| Eastern Illinois Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,115 | 17.10¢ | 22% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 301 MW | 99% |
| Solar | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 150 MW | 2011 |
| Settlers Trail Wind Farm LLC | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 150 MW | 2011 |
| Iroquois Solar 1B LLC CSG | Iroquois Solar 1B LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilman Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Gilman Solar LLC PV |
The Iroquois County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 7,015 | $51,637 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 452 | $83,013 | 1.22 |
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 Iroquois County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Iroquois County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Iroquois County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Iroquois County, Benton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iroquois County | 26,150 | ▼ 9.8% | 303 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Benton County IN | 8,883 | ▼ 13.4% | 1,175 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Ford County | 13,216 | ▲ 16.9% | 867 MW | — | — | — |
| Kankakee County | 105,525 | ▼ 7.0% | 248 MW | 320 MW | — | — |
| Newton County IN | 14,188 | ▲ 0.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Vermilion County | 71,259 | ▼ 3.9% | 521 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Iroquois County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Iroquois County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Iroquois County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Eastern Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Iroquois County?
3 operating plants with 303 MW of capacity. The largest is Pioneer Trail Wind Farm, LLC (150 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Iroquois County?
4 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 4 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Gilman Solar LLC PV.
Are there data centers in Iroquois County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Iroquois County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Kankakee County.
Is Iroquois County adding jobs?
Employers counted 7,015 jobs in 2025 against 7,779 in 2019 (-9.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 452 to 452.
Does Iroquois County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Iroquois County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.