Parke County, Indiana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Adams Township, Rockville and Florida Township
No data center or power plant project is on record in Parke County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Parke County is home to Adams Township, Rockville, Florida Township and Union Township. Employers here counted 3,526 jobs in 2025, up 11.0% from 2019 (the 9th fastest growth of 92 Indiana counties). Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 4.0% in 2019. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC is the largest utility serving Parke County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.75¢/kWh in 2024, below the 14.63¢ median for Indiana utilities. 16,642 people live here, up 3.0% since 2020.
Cities and towns in Parke County
Parke County is home to Adams Township, Rockville, Florida Township and Union Township.
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 Parke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Indiana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,153 | 16,642 | ▲ 3.0% | 78th of 92 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,178 | 3,526 | ▲ 11.0% | 9th of 92 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $32,165 | $44,154 | ▲ 37.3% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 4.0% | 3.5% | ▼ 0.5pts | — |
Who powers Parke County
Utilities with service territory in Parke County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke Energy Indiana, LLC | Investor Owned | Bundled | 796,265 | 12.75¢ | 31% |
| Town of Montezuma - (IN) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Parke County Rural E M C | — | — | — | — | — |
| Town of Rockville - (IN) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Parke County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Parke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,526 | $44,154 | 1.00 |
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 Parke County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Parke County. Indiana has 40 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Putnam County, Vermillion County.
Parke County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Parke 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parke County | 16,642 | ▲ 11.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Clay County | 26,410 | ▼ 0.3% | 9 MW | — | — | — |
| Fountain County | 17,013 | ▼ 1.9% | 201 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 38,954 | ▲ 5.9% | 28 MW | 16 MW | — | — |
| Putnam County | 37,876 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Vermillion County | 15,488 | ▲ 7.2% | 1,877 MW | 185 MW | — | 1 |
| Vigo County | 106,512 | ▼ 1.8% | 862 MW | — | — | — |
More of Indiana
Parke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Parke County, Indiana?
4 utilities have service territory in Parke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Town of Montezuma - (IN), Parke County Rural E M C, Town of Rockville - (IN). The largest, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, charged residential customers 12.75¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Parke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Parke County.
Is Parke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,526 jobs in 2025 against 3,178 in 2019 (+11.0%, BLS QCEW).
Does Parke County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Parke County. Indiana has 40 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.