Pike County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Pittsfield, Pittsfield Township and Barry Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Pike County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Pike County is home to Pittsfield, Pittsfield Township, Barry Township and Barry. 1 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Illinois Rural Electric Coop (solar). Next door, Marion County, Missouri, has 1 data center. Construction employs 178, down 13.6% since 2019. 2 MW has retired here since 2019, including Pike County Wind Power (wind, 2 MW, 2025).
Cities and towns in Pike County
Pike County is home to Pittsfield, Pittsfield Township, Barry Township and Barry.
And 13 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Rockport.
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 Pike County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,635 | 14,231 | ▼ 2.8% | 73rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,973 | 3,819 | ▼ 3.9% | 69th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,852 | $47,588 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 206 | 178 | ▼ 13.6% | 55th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.4% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 54 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 56th of 57 by size |
54 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.4% in 2019. Employers here counted 3,819 jobs in 2025, down 3.9% from 2019. Its power plants have 78 MW of capacity, 69% of it wind. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Pike County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 14,231 people live here, down 2.8% since 2020.
Who powers Pike County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +53 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pike 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 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 54 MW | 69% |
| Petroleum | 24 MW | 31% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panther Creek Wind Project | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Wind | 54 MW | 2025 |
| Pearl Station | Prairie Power, Inc | Petroleum | 24 MW | 1973 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Approvals received | 2027 | Illinois Rural Electric Coop |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County Wind Power | Wind | 2 MW | 2025 |
The Pike County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,819 | $47,588 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 178 | $44,179 | 0.88 |
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 Pike County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pike County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Marion County, Ralls County.
Pike County and its neighbors
Of the 9 counties that border Pike County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 14,231 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Adams County | 64,267 | ▼ 1.2% | 12 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| Brown County | 6,401 | ▲ 10.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County | 4,300 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Greene County | 11,313 | ▼ 4.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Marion County MO | 28,525 | ▼ 2.5% | — | 76 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Morgan County | 32,515 | ▲ 0.1% | 183 MW | — | — | — |
| Pike County MO | 17,955 | ▼ 2.0% | 290 MW | — | — | — |
| Ralls County MO | 10,444 | ▲ 2.1% | 58 MW | 66 MW | — | 1 |
| Scott County | 4,866 | ▼ 7.5% | 173 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Pike County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pike County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Pike County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Adams Electric Coop, Illinois Rural Electric Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pike County?
2 operating plants with 78 MW of capacity. The largest is Panther Creek Wind Project (54 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Pike County?
1 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Illinois Rural Electric Coop.
Are there data centers in Pike County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pike County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Marion County.
Is Pike County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,819 jobs in 2025 against 3,973 in 2019 (-3.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 206 to 178.
Does Pike County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pike County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.