Allamakee County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Waukon and Postville
Allamakee County is where a large share of Iowa's next power plants are planned. Allamakee County is home to Waukon, most of Postville (2,138 of its 2,402 residents) and Lansing. Unemployment was 5.7% in August 2026, against 3.3% in 2019. 2 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by OneEnergy, Inc. (solar), the 6th largest pipeline among Iowa's counties. 2 MW of it is already under construction or built. 274 MW has retired here since 2019, including Lansing (coal, 274 MW, 2023). Construction employs 192, up 6.1% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Allamakee County
Allamakee County is home to Waukon, most of Postville (2,138 of its 2,402 residents) and Lansing.
- Postville also extends into Clayton 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 Allamakee County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,072 | 14,238 | ▲ 1.2% | 55th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,054 | 4,802 | ▼ 5.0% | 74th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,611 | $47,930 | ▲ 30.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 181 | 192 | ▲ 6.1% | 41st of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.3% | 5.7% | ▲ 2.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 274 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 2 MW | 119% of today's fleet | 6th of 6 by size |
Employers here counted 4,802 jobs in 2025, down 5.0% from 2019. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Allamakee County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. 14,238 people live here, up 1.2% since 2020.
Who powers Allamakee County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −274 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Allamakee County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate Power and Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 417,153 | 17.90¢ | 29% |
| MiEnergy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,006 | 16.91¢ | 34% |
| Allamakee-Clayton El Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant SBD 9201 Norplex | Industrial Energy Applications Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1988 |
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teeple Creek | Solar Photovoltaic | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | OneEnergy, Inc. |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing | Coal | 274 MW | 2023 |
The Allamakee County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,802 | $47,930 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 192 | $56,627 | 0.75 |
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 Allamakee County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Allamakee County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clayton County.
Allamakee County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Allamakee County, Clayton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allamakee County | 14,238 | ▼ 5.0% | 2 MW | 2 MW | — | — |
| Clayton County | 16,845 | ▼ 8.5% | 6 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Crawford County WI | 15,910 | ▼ 9.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 19,047 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Houston County MN | 18,400 | ▼ 1.2% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Vernon County WI | 31,443 | ▼ 1.4% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Winneshiek County | 19,733 | ▲ 1.2% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Allamakee County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Allamakee County, Iowa?
3 utilities have service territory in Allamakee County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, MiEnergy Cooperative, Allamakee-Clayton El Coop, Inc. The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Allamakee County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Alliant SBD 9201 Norplex (2 MW, petroleum).
How much new power is planned in Allamakee County?
2 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 2 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is OneEnergy, Inc..
Are there data centers in Allamakee County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Allamakee County.
Is Allamakee County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,802 jobs in 2025 against 5,054 in 2019 (-5.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 181 to 192.
Does Allamakee County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Allamakee County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.