Stark County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Toulon Township, Wyoming and Toulon
Stark 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. Construction employs 228, up 66.4% since 2019, and construction is 2.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Stark County is home to Toulon Township, Wyoming, Toulon and Osceola Township. Employers here counted 1,673 jobs in 2025, up 19.5% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 102 Illinois counties). Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019. Next door, Peoria County has 2 data centers.
Cities and towns in Stark County
Stark County is home to Toulon Township, Wyoming, Toulon and Osceola Township.
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 Stark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,382 | 5,319 | ▼ 1.2% | 95th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,400 | 1,673 | ▲ 19.5% | 2nd of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,049 | $57,520 | ▲ 43.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 137 | 228 | ▲ 66.4% | 4th of 56 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 3.8% | ▼ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 154 MW of capacity, 97% of it wind. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Stark County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 5,319 people live here, down 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Stark County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Stark 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% |
| Corn Belt Energy Corporation | Cooperative | Bundled | 34,710 | 15.76¢ | 28% |
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 | 150 MW | 97% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Grove Wind Farm | Orion Energy Group LLC | Wind | 150 MW | 2007 |
| Essex Solar | SRC Partnership 15 LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
The Stark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,673 | $57,520 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 228 | $74,983 | 2.57 |
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 Stark County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stark County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Stark County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Stark County, Marshall 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County | 5,319 | ▲ 19.5% | 154 MW | — | — | — |
| Bureau County | 32,510 | ▼ 13.9% | 752 MW | 16 MW | — | — |
| Henry County | 48,095 | ▼ 1.7% | 551 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Knox County | 47,767 | ▼ 2.4% | 16 MW | 5 MW | 1 | — |
| Marshall County | 11,473 | ▲ 1.3% | 146 MW | 178 MW | — | — |
| Peoria County | 178,553 | ▼ 2.2% | 47 MW | 11 MW | 2 | — |
More of Illinois
Stark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stark County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Stark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Corn Belt Energy Corporation. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Stark County?
2 operating plants with 154 MW of capacity. The largest is Camp Grove Wind Farm (150 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Stark County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stark County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Peoria County.
Is Stark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,673 jobs in 2025 against 1,400 in 2019 (+19.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 137 to 228.
Does Stark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stark County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.