Union County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Anna, Jonesboro and Cobden
Union 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. Union County is home to Anna, Jonesboro, Cobden and Dongola. Next door, Pulaski County has 417 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 5.2% in 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 5,238 jobs in 2025, up 3.5% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Union County
Union County is home to Anna, Jonesboro, Cobden and Dongola.
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 Union County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,299 | 16,656 | ▼ 3.7% | 63rd of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,061 | 5,238 | ▲ 3.5% | 31st of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,269 | $48,695 | ▲ 34.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 95 | 77 | ▼ 18.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.2% | 3.7% | ▼ 1.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Union County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. 16,656 people live here, down 3.7% since 2020.
Who powers Union County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Union 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% |
| Egyptian Electric Coop Assn | Cooperative | Bundled | 13,707 | 15.53¢ | 42% |
| 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 | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Cat Solar 22 LLC | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
The Union County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,238 | $48,695 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 77 | $56,851 | 0.28 |
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 Union County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Union County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Union County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Union County, Pulaski 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County | 16,656 | ▲ 3.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Alexander County | 4,570 | ▼ 14.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Cape Girardeau County MO | 83,999 | ▲ 0.1% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 52,501 | ▲ 11.0% | 10 MW | 101 MW | — | — |
| Johnson County | 13,363 | ▲ 17.2% | — | 36 MW | — | — |
| Perry County MO | 19,093 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 4,820 | ▼ 22.9% | 5 MW | 417 MW | — | — |
| Williamson County | 67,225 | ▲ 4.7% | 266 MW | 12 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Union County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Union County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Union County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Egyptian Electric Coop Assn, Southern Illinois Elec Coop. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Union County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Wild Cat Solar 22 LLC (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Union County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Union County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Pulaski County.
Is Union County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,238 jobs in 2025 against 5,061 in 2019 (+3.5%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 95 to 77.
Does Union County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Union County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.