Pulaski County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Pulaski County is a generation frontier for Illinois. Pulaski County is home to Mounds. Employers here counted 1,221 jobs in 2025, down 22.9% from 2019. 417 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Joppa BESS LLC (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among Illinois's counties. 417 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.2% in August 2026, against 6.5% in 2019. 5 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Pulaski County
Pulaski County is home to Mounds.
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 Pulaski County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,176 | 4,820 | ▼ 6.9% | 97th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,584 | 1,221 | ▼ 22.9% | 100th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,122 | $46,081 | ▼ 4.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 6.5% | 5.2% | ▼ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 5 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 417 MW | 8348% of today's fleet | 5th of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 5 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Pulaski County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 4,820 people live here, down 6.9% since 2020.
Who powers Pulaski County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +5 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pulaski 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% |
| Cairo Public Utility Company | — | — | — | — | — |
| Southern 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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 5 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mound City Solar | Mound City Solar PV | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 417 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Joppa BESS LLC |
The Pulaski County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,221 | $46,081 | 1.00 |
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 Pulaski County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pulaski County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Pulaski County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pulaski County, McCracken 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 4,820 | ▼ 22.9% | 5 MW | 417 MW | — | — |
| Alexander County | 4,570 | ▼ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Ballard County KY | 7,594 | ▲ 20.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Johnson County | 13,363 | ▲ 17.2% | — | 36 MW | — | — |
| Massac County | 13,502 | ▼ 7.3% | — | 2 MW | 1 | — |
| McCracken County KY | 67,553 | ▲ 5.4% | 1,695 MW | 400 MW | 4 | — |
| Union County | 16,656 | ▲ 3.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Pulaski County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pulaski County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Pulaski County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Cairo Public Utility Company, Southern Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pulaski County?
1 operating plant with 5 MW of capacity. The largest is Mound City Solar (5 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in Pulaski County?
417 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 417 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Joppa BESS LLC.
Are there data centers in Pulaski County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pulaski County. The nearest activity on record is next door in McCracken County.
Is Pulaski County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,221 jobs in 2025 against 1,584 in 2019 (-22.9%, BLS QCEW).
Does Pulaski County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pulaski County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.