DeKalb County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Union Township, Auburn and Keyser Township
DeKalb County is one of the places pushing back on the data center build-out. DeKalb County is home to Union Township, Auburn, Keyser Township and Garrett. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (0 in force); the latest is “DeKalb County (Auburn) data center moratorium (proposed)”. 180 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by RWE Clean Energy (solar). Construction employs 758, up 15.4% since 2019. 11 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in DeKalb County
DeKalb County is home to Union Township, Auburn, Keyser Township and Garrett.
- Ashley also extends into Steuben County.
- Hamilton also extends into Steuben County.
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 DeKalb County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 43,292 | 44,535 | ▲ 2.9% | 35th of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 22,204 | 21,585 | ▼ 2.8% | 71st of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $48,443 | $64,949 | ▲ 34.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 657 | 758 | ▲ 15.4% | 42nd of 68 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 11 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 180 MW | 1500% of today's fleet | 13th of 16 by size |
Its power plants have 12 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Employers here counted 21,585 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019. Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co is the largest utility serving DeKalb County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 19.09¢/kWh in 2024, above the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019. 44,535 people live here, up 2.9% since 2020.
Who powers DeKalb County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +11 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in DeKalb County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 430,648 | 19.09¢ | 25% |
| Indiana Michigan Power Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 422,062 | 16.31¢ | 28% |
| Noble County R E M C | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,986 | 13.53¢ | 10% |
| City of Auburn - (IN) | Municipal | Bundled | 6,813 | 8.52¢ | 8% |
| City of Garrett | — | — | — | — | — |
| Steuben County Rural E M C | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 12 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn Renewables LLC | Auburn Renewables, LLC | Solar | 11 MW | 2022 |
| Waterloo Solar, LLC | AES Distributed Energy | Solar | 1 MW | 2012 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpin Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 180 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | RWE Clean Energy |
The DeKalb County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 21,585 | $64,949 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 758 | $66,504 | 0.66 |
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 DeKalb County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County (Auburn) data center moratorium (proposed) | Proposed | 2026-04 |
DeKalb County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border DeKalb County, Allen 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | 44,535 | ▼ 2.8% | 12 MW | 180 MW | — | 1 |
| Allen County | 402,329 | ▲ 4.3% | — | — | 6 | — |
| Defiance County OH | 38,292 | ▲ 0.3% | 454 MW | 90 MW | — | — |
| LaGrange County | 41,305 | ▲ 4.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Noble County | 47,937 | ▼ 10.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Steuben County | 34,799 | ▼ 1.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Williams County OH | 36,549 | ▼ 8.8% | 135 MW | — | — | 2 |
More of Indiana
DeKalb County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in DeKalb County, Indiana?
6 utilities have service territory in DeKalb County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co, Indiana Michigan Power Co, Noble County R E M C, City of Auburn - (IN). The largest, Northern Indiana Pub Serv Co, charged residential customers 19.09¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Union Township, IN in?
Union Township is in DeKalb County, Indiana. About 14,231 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Auburn, IN in?
Auburn is in DeKalb County, Indiana. About 14,068 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in DeKalb County?
2 operating plants with 12 MW of capacity. The largest is Auburn Renewables LLC (11 MW, solar).
How much new power is planned in DeKalb County?
180 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is RWE Clean Energy.
Are there data centers in DeKalb County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in DeKalb County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Allen County.
Is DeKalb County adding jobs?
Employers counted 21,585 jobs in 2025 against 22,204 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 657 to 758.
Does DeKalb County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for DeKalb County, 0 in force.