Macoupin County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Carlinville Township, Carlinville and Staunton Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Macoupin County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Macoupin County is home to Carlinville Township, Carlinville, Staunton Township and Staunton. 5 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Dimension Energy LLC (solar). 5 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Sangamon County has 1,279 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 650, up 4.2% since 2019. 226 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Macoupin County
Macoupin County is home to Carlinville Township, Carlinville, Staunton Township and Staunton.
And 16 smaller places.
- Virden also extends into Sangamon County.
- Brighton also extends into Jersey 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 Macoupin County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 44,929 | 43,748 | ▼ 2.6% | 32nd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,290 | 9,921 | ▼ 3.6% | 67th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,270 | $48,139 | ▲ 29.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 624 | 650 | ▲ 4.2% | 38th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.5% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 226 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 5 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 45th of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 226 MW of capacity, 88% of it wind. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.5% in 2019. Employers here counted 9,921 jobs in 2025, down 3.6% from 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Macoupin County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 43,748 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Macoupin County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +226 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Macoupin 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% |
| Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (IL) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,822 | 13.68¢ | 17% |
| M J M Electric Cooperative Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Illinois Rural Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rural Electric Conven Coop - (IL) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 200 MW | 88% |
| Solar | 26 MW | 12% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Wind | Lotus Wind, LLC | Wind | 200 MW | 2026 |
| Big Creek Solar (IL) (CSG) | Big Creek Solar (IL), LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Corfee Solar LLC | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Paris Solar, LLC (CSG) | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Sunset Road Solar 3 Community Solar | Sunset Road Solar 3, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Sunset Road Solar 4 Community Solar | Sunset Road Solar 4, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willis Solar 1, LLC - (IL) | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Dimension Energy LLC |
The Macoupin County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,921 | $48,139 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 650 | $66,820 | 1.24 |
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 Macoupin County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Macoupin County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Macoupin County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Macoupin County, Sangamon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macoupin County | 43,748 | ▼ 3.6% | 226 MW | 5 MW | — | — |
| Greene County | 11,313 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Jersey County | 21,160 | ▲ 3.6% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 263,110 | ▲ 5.9% | 701 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 28,076 | ▲ 0.8% | 56 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Morgan County | 32,515 | ▲ 0.1% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Sangamon County | 194,170 | ▲ 0.2% | 1,313 MW | 1,279 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Macoupin County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Macoupin County, Illinois?
5 utilities have service territory in Macoupin County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Southwestern Electric Coop Inc - (IL), 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 power plants are in Macoupin County?
8 operating plants with 226 MW of capacity. The largest is Lotus Wind (200 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Macoupin 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 Dimension Energy LLC.
Are there data centers in Macoupin County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Macoupin County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sangamon County.
Is Macoupin County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,921 jobs in 2025 against 10,290 in 2019 (-3.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 624 to 650.
Does Macoupin County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Macoupin County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.