Rock Island County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Moline, Rock Island and South Moline Township
Rock Island County is a power-producing county: the plants here serve load well beyond its borders. Rock Island County is home to Moline, Rock Island, South Moline Township and Moline Township. Its power plants have 2,705 MW of capacity, 75% of it nuclear, the 4th largest fleet in Illinois. Next door, Clinton County, Iowa, has 600 MW of planned generation. 1 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sears Hydroelectric Plant (hydro, 1 MW, 2021). Employers here counted 69,106 jobs in 2025, down 6.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Rock Island County
Rock Island County is home to Moline, Rock Island, South Moline Township and Moline Township.
And 9 smaller places.
- Coal Valley also extends into Henry County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Barstow, Buffalo Prairie, Campbell's Island, Coyne Center, Edgington, Illinois City, Joslin, Rock Island Arsenal, Taylor Ridge.
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 Rock Island County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 144,357 | 141,869 | ▼ 1.7% | 15th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 73,699 | 69,106 | ▼ 6.2% | 79th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,201 | $72,612 | ▲ 24.8% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 117 | 89 | ▼ 23.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.9% | 4.0% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 4.9% in 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Rock Island County. Its residential customers paid an average 9.99¢/kWh in 2024, below the 15.22¢ median for Illinois utilities. 141,869 people live here, down 1.7% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 89, down 23.9% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $64,528 a year.
Who powers Rock Island County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Rock Island County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 73,582 | 9.99¢ | 33% |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear | 2,019 MW | 75% |
| Natural gas | 683 MW | 25% |
| Hydro | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Cities Generating Station | Constellation Nuclear | Nuclear | 2,019 MW | 1972 |
| Cordova Energy | Cordova Energy Co LLC | Natural gas | 611 MW | 2001 |
| Moline | MidAmerican Energy Co | Natural gas | 76 MW | 1942 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sears Hydroelectric Plant | Hydro | 1 MW | 2021 |
The Rock Island County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 69,106 | $72,612 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 89 | $64,528 | 0.18 |
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 Rock Island County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Rock Island County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Rock Island County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Rock Island County, Clinton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Island County | 141,869 | ▼ 6.2% | 2,705 MW | — | — | — |
| Clinton County IA | 46,002 | ▼ 6.9% | 181 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Henry County | 48,095 | ▼ 1.7% | 551 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Louisa County IA | 10,416 | ▼ 3.7% | 912 MW | — | — | — |
| Mercer County | 15,229 | ▲ 1.0% | 10 MW | 42 MW | 1 | — |
| Muscatine County IA | 41,853 | ▼ 9.0% | 300 MW | 59 MW | 1 | — |
| Scott County IA | 175,259 | ▲ 2.1% | 3 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Whiteside County | 54,121 | ▼ 5.0% | 64 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Rock Island County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Rock Island County, Illinois?
1 utility has service territory in Rock Island County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co. The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 9.99¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Moline, IL in?
Moline is in Rock Island County, Illinois. About 42,362 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Rock Island, IL in?
Rock Island is in Rock Island County, Illinois. About 36,225 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is South Moline Township, IL in?
South Moline Township is in Rock Island County, Illinois. About 36,062 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Rock Island County?
3 operating plants with 2,705 MW of capacity. The largest is Quad Cities Generating Station (2,019 MW, nuclear).
Are there data centers in Rock Island County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Rock Island County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clinton County.
Is Rock Island County adding jobs?
Employers counted 69,106 jobs in 2025 against 73,699 in 2019 (-6.2%, BLS QCEW).
Does Rock Island County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Rock Island County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.