Vermilion County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Danville, Danville Township and Newell Township
Vermilion 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. Vermilion County is home to Danville, Danville Township, Newell Township and Georgetown Township. Next door, Champaign County has 5 data centers. 18 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 521 MW of capacity, 60% of it wind. Construction employs 550, down 3.8% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Vermilion County
Vermilion County is home to Danville, Danville Township, Newell Township and Georgetown Township.
And 16 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): East Lynn, Olivet.
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 Vermilion County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 74,008 | 71,259 | ▼ 3.7% | 21st of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26,399 | 25,378 | ▼ 3.9% | 68th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,949 | $55,590 | ▲ 26.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 572 | 550 | ▼ 3.8% | 50th of 56 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 85 | 63 | ▼ 25.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.1% | 4.7% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 18 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Employers here counted 25,378 jobs in 2025, down 3.9% from 2019. Ameren Illinois Company is the largest utility serving Vermilion County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.26¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 4.7% in August 2026, against 5.1% in 2019. 71,259 people live here, down 3.7% since 2020. Electrical contractors employ 63, down 25.9% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $73,844 a year.
Who powers Vermilion County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +18 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Vermilion 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% |
| Eastern Illinois Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,115 | 17.10¢ | 22% |
| Enerstar Power Corp | — | — | — | — | — |
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 11
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 315 MW | 60% |
| Natural gas | 188 MW | 36% |
| Solar | 18 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Ridge Wind Energy LLC | SunEdison LLC | Wind | 217 MW | 2012 |
| Tilton | Tilton Energy LLC | Natural gas | 188 MW | 1999 |
| Hoopeston Wind LLC | Hoopeston Wind LLC | Wind | 98 MW | 2015 |
| Ridge Farm Renewables LLC PV | Ridge Farm Renewables LLC PV | Solar | 4 MW | 2026 |
| CVE US IL Ridge Farm 324 LLC (CSG) | Dimension Energy LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2026 |
| Ameresco Danville Solar, LLC | Altus Power America Management, LLC | Solar | 2 MW | 2021 |
The Vermilion County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 25,378 | $55,590 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 550 | $66,397 | 0.41 |
| Electrical contractors | 63 | $73,844 | 0.34 |
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 Vermilion County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Vermilion County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Champaign County, Vermillion County.
Vermilion County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Vermilion County, Vermillion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vermilion County | 71,259 | ▼ 3.9% | 521 MW | — | — | — |
| Benton County IN | 8,883 | ▼ 13.4% | 1,175 MW | 200 MW | — | — |
| Champaign County | 209,972 | ▲ 3.9% | 272 MW | 8 MW | 5 | 1 |
| Douglas County | 19,880 | ▲ 1.3% | 204 MW | — | — | — |
| Edgar County | 16,323 | ▲ 4.1% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Ford County | 13,216 | ▲ 16.9% | 867 MW | — | — | — |
| Iroquois County | 26,150 | ▼ 9.8% | 303 MW | 4 MW | — | — |
| Vermillion County IN | 15,488 | ▲ 7.2% | 1,877 MW | 185 MW | — | 1 |
| Warren County IN | 8,474 | ▲ 4.2% | 399 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Vermilion County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Vermilion County, Illinois?
3 utilities have service territory in Vermilion County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Ameren Illinois Company, Eastern Illinois Elec Coop, Enerstar Power Corp. The largest, Ameren Illinois Company, charged residential customers 15.26¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Danville, IL in?
Danville is in Vermilion County, Illinois. About 28,138 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Danville Township, IL in?
Danville Township is in Vermilion County, Illinois. About 26,302 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Newell Township, IL in?
Newell Township is in Vermilion County, Illinois. About 13,326 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Vermilion County?
11 operating plants with 521 MW of capacity. The largest is California Ridge Wind Energy LLC (217 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Vermilion County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Vermilion County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Champaign County.
Is Vermilion County adding jobs?
Employers counted 25,378 jobs in 2025 against 26,399 in 2019 (-3.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 572 to 550.
Does Vermilion County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Vermilion County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.