McDonough County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Macomb, Bushnell Township and Bushnell
McDonough 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. McDonough County is home to Macomb, Bushnell Township, Bushnell and Colchester Township. 10 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Generate Capital (solar). 10 MW of it is already under construction or built. 160 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Employers here counted 9,955 jobs in 2025, down 7.2% from 2019. Construction employs 267, down 3.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in McDonough County
McDonough County is home to Macomb, Bushnell Township, Bushnell and Colchester Township.
And 3 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Adair, Georgetown.
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 McDonough County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 27,128 | 25,916 | ▼ 4.5% | 51st of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 10,726 | 9,955 | ▼ 7.2% | 85th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,849 | $50,003 | ▲ 25.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 277 | 267 | ▼ 3.6% | 49th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 4.1% | ▼ 0.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 160 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 10 MW | 6% of today's fleet | 38th of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 171 MW of capacity, 88% of it wind. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving McDonough County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.1% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. 25,916 people live here, down 4.5% since 2020.
Who powers McDonough County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +160 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McDonough 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% |
| Adams Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Bushnell - (IL) | — | — | — | — | — |
| McDonough Power Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Spoon River Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 6
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 150 MW | 88% |
| Petroleum | 11 MW | 6% |
| Solar | 10 MW | 6% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Point Wind | Cardinal Point LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2020 |
| Bushnell | City of Bushnell - (IL) | Petroleum | 11 MW | 1940 |
| McDonough Solar 1, LLC CSG | McDonough Solar 1, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2020 |
| 1150th Sun | 1150th Sun, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
| Macomb 2A | SoCore Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
| Sullivan B Community Solar LLC | Sullivan B Community Solar LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2020 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Creek | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Generate Capital |
| Ember Sun LLC PV | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | Ember Sun LLC PV |
| Bushnell | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | City of Bushnell - (IL) |
The McDonough County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,955 | $50,003 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 267 | $96,945 | 0.51 |
| Electric utilities | 42 | $133,892 | 1.56 |
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 McDonough County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in McDonough County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
McDonough County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border McDonough County, Fulton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough County | 25,916 | ▼ 7.2% | 171 MW | 10 MW | — | — |
| Fulton County | 32,901 | ▲ 4.6% | 156 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County | 16,803 | ▲ 4.6% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Henderson County | 5,984 | ▲ 8.8% | 1 MW | — | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 6,657 | ▲ 11.9% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Warren County | 16,222 | ▼ 0.8% | 35 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
McDonough County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McDonough County, Illinois?
6 utilities have service territory in McDonough County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Adams Electric Coop, City of Bushnell - (IL), McDonough Power Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Macomb, IL in?
Macomb is in McDonough County, Illinois. About 14,530 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in McDonough County?
6 operating plants with 171 MW of capacity. The largest is Cardinal Point Wind (150 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in McDonough County?
10 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 10 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Generate Capital.
Are there data centers in McDonough County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McDonough County.
Is McDonough County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,955 jobs in 2025 against 10,726 in 2019 (-7.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 277 to 267.
Does McDonough County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for McDonough County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.