McHenry County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Algonquin Township, Grafton Township and McHenry Township
McHenry County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. McHenry County is home to Algonquin Township, Grafton Township, McHenry Township and Crystal Lake. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “Proposed 12-month data center moratorium”. 17 MW of new generation is planned here across 5 units, led by Pivot Energy (solar). 17 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Electrical contractors employ 663, up 10.9% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $83,759 a year.
Cities and towns in McHenry County
McHenry County is home to Algonquin Township, Grafton Township, McHenry Township and Crystal Lake.
And 16 smaller places.
- Huntley also extends into Kane County.
- Algonquin also extends into Kane County.
- Island Lake also extends into Lake County.
- Fox River Grove also extends into Lake County.
- Lakemoor also extends into Lake County.
- Barrington Hills also extends into Cook County, Lake County, Kane County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Alden, Big Foot Prairie, Burtons Bridge, Chemung, Coral, Franklinville, Harmony, Hartland, Lawrence, Pistakee Highlands, Ridgefield, Riley, Solon Mills.
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 McHenry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 309,977 | 317,751 | ▲ 2.5% | 6th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 97,273 | 98,058 | ▲ 0.8% | 41st of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $45,280 | $57,103 | ▲ 26.1% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 598 | 663 | ▲ 10.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.7% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 43 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 17 MW | 20% of today's fleet | 29th of 57 by size |
43 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 89 MW of capacity, 48% of it solar. Commonwealth Edison Co is the largest utility serving McHenry County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.22¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 98,058 jobs in 2025, up 0.8% from 2019. 317,751 people live here, up 2.5% since 2020, 6th of 102 Illinois counties by population.
Who powers McHenry County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +43 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in McHenry County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Edison Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 3,727,675 | 15.22¢ | 27% |
| Rock Energy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,339 | 14.97¢ | 40% |
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 23
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 43 MW | 48% |
| Battery storage | 40 MW | 45% |
| Natural gas | 6 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry Battery Storage | McHenry Battery Storage | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2016 |
| Marengo Battery Storage LLC | Marengo Battery Storage LLC | Battery storage | 20 MW | 2018 |
| Charter Dura-Bar | Wells Manufacturing Co | Natural gas | 6 MW | 1992 |
| Gracy Solar 1, LLC | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| IL - ForeFront CS (Huntley) | IL Solar Huntley Project1, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2025 |
| 9521 US 14 SOLAR 1, LLC | Generate Capital | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 5
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pivot Energy IL 52 | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Pivot Energy |
| Osman Trust | Solar Photovoltaic | 4 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Generate Capital |
| Pivot Energy IL 55 LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Pivot Energy |
| Pivot Energy IL 55b LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 3 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | Pivot Energy |
| OER IL - Groundhog | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Standard Solar |
The McHenry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 98,058 | $57,103 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 663 | $83,759 | 0.94 |
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 McHenry County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposed 12-month data center moratorium | Proposed | 2026-10 |
McHenry County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border McHenry County, Cook 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry County | 317,751 | ▲ 0.8% | 89 MW | 17 MW | — | 1 |
| Boone County | 53,568 | ▼ 37.4% | 18 MW | 18 MW | — | — |
| Cook County | 5,194,625 | ▼ 0.5% | 1,364 MW | 35 MW | 122 | — |
| DeKalb County | 101,835 | ▼ 1.4% | 306 MW | 100 MW | 5 | — |
| Kane County | 525,757 | ▲ 0.3% | 496 MW | 17 MW | — | — |
| Kenosha County WI | 168,448 | ▲ 13.2% | 412 MW | — | — | — |
| Lake County | 719,339 | ▼ 4.3% | 733 MW | 5 MW | 4 | 1 |
| Walworth County WI | 106,127 | ▲ 8.1% | 26 MW | 324 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
McHenry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in McHenry County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in McHenry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Commonwealth Edison Co, Rock Energy Cooperative. The largest, Commonwealth Edison Co, charged residential customers 15.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Algonquin Township, IL in?
Algonquin Township is in McHenry County, Illinois. About 89,435 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Grafton Township, IL in?
Grafton Township is in McHenry County, Illinois. About 58,301 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is McHenry Township, IL in?
McHenry Township is in McHenry County, Illinois. About 48,110 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in McHenry County?
23 operating plants with 89 MW of capacity. The largest is McHenry Battery Storage (20 MW, battery storage).
How much new power is planned in McHenry County?
17 MW across 5 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 17 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Pivot Energy.
Are there data centers in McHenry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in McHenry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Cook County.
Is McHenry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 98,058 jobs in 2025 against 97,273 in 2019 (+0.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does McHenry County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for McHenry County, 0 in force.