Winnebago County, Illinois: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Rockford Township, Rockford and Harlem Township
Winnebago 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. Winnebago County is home to Rockford Township, Rockford, Harlem Township and Machesney Park. 11 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by Cypress Creek Renewables (solar). 6 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, DeKalb County has 5 data centers. 25 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 4.6% in August 2026, against 5.5% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Winnebago County
Winnebago County is home to Rockford Township, Rockford, Harlem Township and Machesney Park.
And 1 smaller places.
- Loves Park also extends into Boone County.
- Cherry Valley also extends into Boone County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Argyle, Lake Summerset, Westlake Village.
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 Winnebago County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Illinois |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 284,939 | 283,674 | ▼ 0.4% | 7th of 102 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 126,094 | 125,716 | ▼ 0.3% | 50th of 102 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,973 | $61,286 | ▲ 25.1% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 390 | 275 | ▼ 29.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 5.5% | 4.6% | ▼ 0.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 25 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 11 MW | 2% of today's fleet | 35th of 57 by size |
Its power plants have 520 MW of capacity, 94% of it natural gas. Commonwealth Edison Co is the largest utility serving Winnebago County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.22¢/kWh in 2024. Employers here counted 125,716 jobs in 2025, down 0.3% from 2019. 283,674 people live here, down 0.4% since 2020, 7th of 102 Illinois counties by population. Electrical contractors employ 275, down 29.5% since 2019 against up 3.9% statewide, at an average $97,334 a year.
Who powers Winnebago County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +25 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Winnebago 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% |
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 18
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 489 MW | 94% |
| Solar | 28 MW | 5% |
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 1% |
| Hydro | 1 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NRG Rockford I | Rockford Generation LLC | Natural gas | 316 MW | 2000 |
| NRG Rockford II Energy Center | Rockford Generation LLC | Natural gas | 168 MW | 2002 |
| Mondelez Global LLC | Mondelez Global, LLC | Natural gas | 5 MW | 1995 |
| Rock Cut Solar | SRC Partnership 15 LLC | Solar | 4 MW | 2025 |
| Kishwaukee CHP Plant | Four Rivers Sanitation Authority | Other technologies | 3 MW | 2010 |
| Rockford Solar Farm | Rockford Solar Partners | Solar | 3 MW | 2012 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varnsen | Solar Photovoltaic | 5 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Cypress Creek Renewables |
| Lowe's - 1440 - Rockford, IL RDC (POI 1) | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | South Springfield Avenue Solar Project 2022, LLC |
| Lowe's - 1440 - Rockford, IL RDC (POI 2) | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (>50%) | 2026 | South Springfield Avenue II Solar Project 2022, LLC |
| Rockford Plant 7 | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | ENGIE Distributed Renewables Development LLC |
The Winnebago County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 125,716 | $61,286 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 275 | $97,334 | 0.30 |
| Electric utilities | 941 | $151,700 | 2.77 |
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 Winnebago County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Winnebago County. Illinois has 28 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Green County, Rock County.
Winnebago County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Winnebago 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County | 283,674 | ▼ 0.3% | 520 MW | 11 MW | — | — |
| Boone County | 53,568 | ▼ 37.4% | 18 MW | 18 MW | — | — |
| DeKalb County | 101,835 | ▼ 1.4% | 306 MW | 100 MW | 5 | — |
| Green County WI | 37,227 | ▼ 0.5% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Ogle County | 51,399 | ▼ 6.0% | 2,502 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Rock County WI | 166,472 | ▲ 2.9% | 1,829 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Stephenson County | 43,220 | ▼ 0.3% | 270 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
More of Illinois
Winnebago County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Winnebago County, Illinois?
2 utilities have service territory in Winnebago County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Commonwealth Edison Co, Rock Energy Cooperative. The largest, Commonwealth Edison Co, charged residential customers 15.22¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Rockford Township, IL in?
Rockford Township is in Winnebago County, Illinois. About 168,961 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Rockford, IL in?
Rockford is in Winnebago County, Illinois. About 147,384 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Harlem Township, IL in?
Harlem Township is in Winnebago County, Illinois. About 39,287 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Winnebago County?
18 operating plants with 520 MW of capacity. The largest is NRG Rockford I (316 MW, natural gas).
How much new power is planned in Winnebago County?
11 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 6 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Cypress Creek Renewables.
Are there data centers in Winnebago County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Winnebago County. The nearest activity on record is next door in DeKalb County.
Is Winnebago County adding jobs?
Employers counted 125,716 jobs in 2025 against 126,094 in 2019 (-0.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Winnebago County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Winnebago County. Illinois has 28 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.