Stephenson County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Freeport, West Point Township and Lena
No data center or power plant project is on record in Stephenson County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Stephenson County is home to Freeport, West Point Township, Lena and Rock Run Township. 2 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by SolAmerica Energy / Stephenson County IL S1, LLC (solar). 2 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Ogle County has 3 data centers. Construction employs 1,513, up 1.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.6 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. 164 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Stephenson County
Stephenson County is home to Freeport, West Point Township, Lena and Rock Run Township.
And 4 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Baileyville, Lake Summerset, Willow Lake.
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 Stephenson County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 44,570 | 43,220 | ▼ 3.0% | 33rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,462 | 17,408 | ▼ 0.3% | 51st of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,891 | $57,022 | ▲ 32.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,485 | 1,513 | ▲ 1.9% | 42nd of 56 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 184 | 154 | ▼ 16.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.3% | 3.9% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 164 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | 1% of today's fleet | 52nd of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 270 MW of capacity, 60% of it solar. Commonwealth Edison Co is the largest utility serving Stephenson County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.9% in August 2026, against 4.3% in 2019. Employers here counted 17,408 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. 43,220 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 154, down 16.3% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $158,671 a year.
Who powers Stephenson County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +164 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Stephenson 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% |
| Scenic Rivers Energy Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 12 | 13.31¢ | 0% |
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 30
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 163 MW | 60% |
| Wind | 100 MW | 37% |
| Natural gas | 7 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EcoGrove Wind LLC | Acciona Wind Energy USA LLC | Wind | 100 MW | 2009 |
| High Point Solar LLC | Acciona Energy USA Global, LLC | Solar | 100 MW | 2023 |
| Adkins Energy LLC | Adkins Energy LLC | Natural gas | 7 MW | 2002 |
| NL IL - McConnell Road | Standard Solar | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| Dakota | SunStrong Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| IL - Ameresco - Freeport South | Freeport Solar South, LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2026 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson County IL S1 | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | SolAmerica Energy / Stephenson County IL S1, LLC |
The Stephenson County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 17,408 | $57,022 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,513 | $93,476 | 1.64 |
| Electrical contractors | 154 | $158,671 | 1.23 |
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 Stephenson County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Stephenson County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Green County.
Stephenson County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Stephenson County, Ogle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson County | 43,220 | ▼ 0.3% | 270 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Carroll County | 15,419 | ▼ 2.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Green County WI | 37,227 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Jo Daviess County | 21,594 | ▲ 5.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Lafayette County WI | 17,478 | ▲ 13.8% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Ogle County | 51,399 | ▼ 6.0% | 2,502 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Winnebago County | 283,674 | ▼ 0.3% | 520 MW | 11 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Stephenson County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Stephenson County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Stephenson County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Commonwealth Edison Co, Rock Energy Cooperative, Scenic Rivers Energy Coop. The largest, Commonwealth Edison Co, charged residential customers 15.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Freeport, IL in?
Freeport is in Stephenson County, Illinois. About 23,202 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Stephenson County?
30 operating plants with 270 MW of capacity. The largest is EcoGrove Wind LLC (100 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Stephenson County?
2 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 2 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is SolAmerica Energy / Stephenson County IL S1, LLC.
Are there data centers in Stephenson County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Stephenson County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Ogle County.
Is Stephenson County adding jobs?
Employers counted 17,408 jobs in 2025 against 17,462 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,485 to 1,513.
Does Stephenson County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Stephenson County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.