Whiteside County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sterling Township, Sterling and Coloma Township
Whiteside County supplies the labor the power build-out runs on. Electrical contractors employ 204, up 75.9% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $106,069 a year. Whiteside County is home to Sterling Township, Sterling, Coloma Township and Rock Falls. 1 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by United States Solar Corporation (solar). 1 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 773, up 22.5% since 2019. Next door, Lee County has 1,200 MW of planned generation.
Cities and towns in Whiteside County
Whiteside County is home to Sterling Township, Sterling, Coloma Township and Rock Falls.
And 8 smaller places.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Como, Galt.
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 Whiteside County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 55,555 | 54,121 | ▼ 2.6% | 24th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 21,348 | 20,285 | ▼ 5.0% | 75th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,193 | $54,349 | ▲ 35.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 631 | 773 | ▲ 22.5% | 17th of 56 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 116 | 204 | ▲ 75.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.2% | 3.8% | ▼ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 45 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 1 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 57th of 57 by size |
45 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 20,285 jobs in 2025, down 5.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 64 MW of capacity, 70% of it solar. Commonwealth Edison Co is the largest utility serving Whiteside County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.22¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 4.2% in 2019. 54,121 people live here, down 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Whiteside County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +45 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Whiteside 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% |
| Jo-Carroll Energy, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 17,227 | 19.79¢ | 27% |
| City of Albany - (IL) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Rock Falls - (IL) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 20
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 45 MW | 70% |
| Petroleum | 17 MW | 27% |
| Hydro | 2 MW | 3% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Park | City of Rock Falls - (IL) | Petroleum | 13 MW | 2001 |
| Sawyer | Generate Capital | Solar | 5 MW | 2025 |
| Clover - (IL) CSG | Nautilus Solar Solutions | Solar | 5 MW | 2026 |
| Galt | SunStrong Management, LLC | Solar | 5 MW | 2024 |
| USS Origami Solar | USS Origami Solar LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
| Avenue A Generator Sets | City of Rock Falls - (IL) | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2000 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USS Lyndon Solar LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 1 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | United States Solar Corporation |
The Whiteside County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 20,285 | $54,349 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 773 | $77,227 | 0.72 |
| Electrical contractors | 204 | $106,069 | 1.39 |
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 Whiteside County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Whiteside County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide.
Whiteside County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Whiteside County, Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiteside County | 54,121 | ▼ 5.0% | 64 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Bureau County | 32,510 | ▼ 13.9% | 752 MW | 16 MW | — | — |
| Carroll County | 15,419 | ▼ 2.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Clinton County IA | 46,002 | ▼ 6.9% | 181 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Henry County | 48,095 | ▼ 1.7% | 551 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Lee County | 32,914 | ▼ 3.0% | 2,285 MW | 1,200 MW | — | — |
| Ogle County | 51,399 | ▼ 6.0% | 2,502 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Rock Island County | 141,869 | ▼ 6.2% | 2,705 MW | — | — | — |
More of Illinois
Whiteside County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Whiteside County, Illinois?
4 utilities have service territory in Whiteside County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Commonwealth Edison Co, Jo-Carroll Energy, Inc, City of Albany - (IL), City of Rock Falls - (IL). The largest, Commonwealth Edison Co, charged residential customers 15.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sterling Township, IL in?
Sterling Township is in Whiteside County, Illinois. About 16,822 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Sterling, IL in?
Sterling is in Whiteside County, Illinois. About 14,394 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Coloma Township, IL in?
Coloma Township is in Whiteside County, Illinois. About 10,277 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Whiteside County?
20 operating plants with 64 MW of capacity. The largest is Industrial Park (13 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Whiteside County?
1 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 1 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is United States Solar Corporation.
Are there data centers in Whiteside County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Whiteside County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Lee County.
Is Whiteside County adding jobs?
Employers counted 20,285 jobs in 2025 against 21,348 in 2019 (-5.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 631 to 773.
Does Whiteside County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Whiteside County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.