Jersey County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jersey Township, Jerseyville and Piasa Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Jersey County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Jersey County is home to Jersey Township, Jerseyville, Piasa Township and Elsah Township. Construction employs 402, up 33.6% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, St. Charles County, Missouri, has 1 data center. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. 110 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Jersey County
Jersey County is home to Jersey Township, Jerseyville, Piasa Township and Elsah Township.
- Brighton also extends into Macoupin 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 Jersey County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,493 | 21,160 | ▼ 1.5% | 54th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,926 | 5,105 | ▲ 3.6% | 30th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,369 | $47,411 | ▲ 34.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 301 | 402 | ▲ 33.6% | 11th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.3% | ▼ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 110 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 5,105 jobs in 2025, up 3.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 110 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Jersey County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 21,160 people live here, down 1.5% since 2020.
Who powers Jersey County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +110 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Jersey 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% |
| M J M Electric Cooperative Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 110 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory Solar | Hickory Solar LLC | Solar | 110 MW | 2024 |
The Jersey County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,105 | $47,411 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 402 | $62,464 | 1.49 |
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 Jersey County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Jersey County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: St. Charles County.
Jersey County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Jersey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey County | 21,160 | ▲ 3.6% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 4,300 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 11,313 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Macoupin County | 43,748 | ▼ 3.6% | 226 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 263,110 | ▲ 5.9% | 701 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| St. Charles County MO | 426,499 | ▲ 7.1% | 1,104 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
More of Illinois
Jersey County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Jersey County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Jersey County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, M J M Electric Cooperative Inc, Illinois Rural Electric Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Jersey Township, IL in?
Jersey Township is in Jersey County, Illinois. About 10,005 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Jersey County?
1 operating plant with 110 MW of capacity. The largest is Hickory Solar (110 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Jersey County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Jersey County. The nearest activity on record is next door in St. Charles County.
Is Jersey County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,105 jobs in 2025 against 4,926 in 2019 (+3.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 301 to 402.
Does Jersey County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Jersey County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.