Buchanan County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Independence and Jesup
The data center boom is not abstract in Buchanan County: it is on the ground here. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Buchanan County. Buchanan County is home to Independence, most of Jesup (2,361 of its 2,557 residents), Winthrop and most of Fairbank (780 of its 1,145 residents). The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “County moratorium on data centers for a stated term”. Construction employs 466, up 11.2% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum.
Cities and towns in Buchanan County
Buchanan County is home to Independence, most of Jesup (2,361 of its 2,557 residents), Winthrop and most of Fairbank (780 of its 1,145 residents).
- Jesup also extends into Black Hawk County.
- Fairbank also extends into Fayette 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 Buchanan County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 20,608 | 20,883 | ▲ 1.3% | 30th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 6,692 | 6,767 | ▲ 1.1% | 31st of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $39,411 | $52,070 | ▲ 32.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 419 | 466 | ▲ 11.2% | 30th of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Buchanan County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. Employers here counted 6,767 jobs in 2025, up 1.1% from 2019. 20,883 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Buchanan County
Utilities with service territory in Buchanan County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 632,436 | 11.01¢ | 18% |
| Interstate Power and Light Co | Investor Owned | Bundled | 417,153 | 17.90¢ | 29% |
| Maquoketa Valley Rrl Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,051 | 13.76¢ | 48% |
| East-Central Iowa Rural Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,368 | 13.28¢ | 27% |
| City of Independence - (IA) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,719 | 13.82¢ | 51% |
| City of Fairbank - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapsie Valley Creamery Back Up Generator | Wapsie Valley Creamery | Petroleum | 2 MW | 2015 |
The Buchanan County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 6,767 | $52,070 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 466 | $56,514 | 1.30 |
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 Buchanan County
1 data center in Buchanan County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County moratorium on data centers for a stated term | In force | 2026-01 |
Buchanan County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Buchanan County, Linn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 20,883 | ▲ 1.1% | 2 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Benton County | 26,004 | ▼ 0.4% | 18 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Black Hawk County | 131,532 | ▼ 4.0% | 394 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Bremer County | 25,296 | ▼ 4.6% | 84 MW | — | — | — |
| Clayton County | 16,845 | ▼ 8.5% | 6 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Delaware County | 17,674 | ▲ 3.9% | 110 MW | — | — | — |
| Fayette County | 19,047 | ▼ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Linn County | 232,028 | ▼ 4.5% | 742 MW | 100 MW | 7 | 2 |
More of Iowa
Buchanan County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Buchanan County, Iowa?
6 utilities have service territory in Buchanan County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Maquoketa Valley Rrl Elec Coop, East-Central Iowa Rural Elec Coop. The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Buchanan County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Wapsie Valley Creamery Back Up Generator (2 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Buchanan County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Buchanan County.
Is Buchanan County adding jobs?
Employers counted 6,767 jobs in 2025 against 6,692 in 2019 (+1.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 419 to 466.
Does Buchanan County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Buchanan County, 1 in force.