Knox County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Galesburg, Knox Township and Cedar Township
Knox County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Knox County. Knox County is home to Galesburg, Knox Township, Cedar Township and Abingdon. Construction employs 558, up 33.8% since 2019. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SV CSG Reeder Solar, LLC (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. 16 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Knox County
Knox County is home to Galesburg, Knox Township, Cedar Township and Abingdon.
And 10 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Gilson, Oak Run.
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 Knox County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 49,812 | 47,767 | ▼ 4.1% | 30th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,603 | 17,188 | ▼ 2.4% | 61st of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,253 | $49,451 | ▲ 36.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 417 | 558 | ▲ 33.8% | 10th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.4% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 16 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 31% of today's fleet | 44th of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 16 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Electrical contractors employ 90, at an average $83,256 a year. Employers here counted 17,188 jobs in 2025, down 2.4% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Knox County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 47,767 people live here, down 4.1% since 2020.
Who powers Knox County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +16 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Knox 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% |
| Corn Belt Energy Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,710 | 15.76¢ | 28% |
| McDonough Power Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Spoon River Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 16 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elba Solar LLC | Elba Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
| Galesburg 650 Solar 1, LLC | SREOG IL Partnership 3, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2023 |
| Illinois PV Knox 1A | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
| Illinois PV Knox 1B | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
| Illinois PV Knox 2A | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
| Illinois PV Knox 2B | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SV CSG Reeder Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | SV CSG Reeder Solar, LLC |
The Knox County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,188 | $49,451 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 558 | $66,954 | 0.61 |
| Electrical contractors | 90 | $83,256 | 0.73 |
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 Knox County
1 data center in Knox County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Knox County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Knox County, Peoria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 47,767 | ▼ 2.4% | 16 MW | 5 MW | 1 | — |
| Fulton County | 32,901 | ▲ 4.6% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Henry County | 48,095 | ▼ 1.7% | 551 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Mercer County | 15,229 | ▲ 1.0% | 10 MW | 42 MW | 1 | — |
| Peoria County | 178,553 | ▼ 2.2% | 47 MW | 11 MW | 2 | — |
| Stark County | 5,319 | ▲ 19.5% | 154 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 16,222 | ▼ 0.8% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Knox County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Knox County, Illinois?
4 utilities have service territory in Knox County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Corn Belt Energy Corporation, McDonough Power Coop, Spoon River Electric Coop, Inc. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Galesburg, IL in?
Galesburg is in Knox County, Illinois. About 28,581 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Knox County?
8 operating plants with 16 MW of capacity. The largest is Elba Solar LLC (2 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Knox County?
5 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 5 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SV CSG Reeder Solar, LLC.
Are there data centers in Knox County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Knox County.
Is Knox County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,188 jobs in 2025 against 17,603 in 2019 (-2.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 417 to 558.
Does Knox County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Knox County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.