Clarke County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Osceola
Local rules on data centers are on the record in Clarke County. Clarke County is home to Osceola and Murray. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “Local moratorium on data centers until a condition is met”. Employers here counted 4,770 jobs in 2025, up 6.3% from 2019. Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Clarke County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. Unemployment was 2.7% in August 2026, against 2.8% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Clarke County
Clarke County is home to Osceola and Murray.
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 Clarke County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,731 | 9,574 | ▼ 1.6% | 75th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,488 | 4,770 | ▲ 6.3% | 11th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,498 | $52,224 | ▲ 29.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.8% | 2.7% | ▼ 0.1pts | — |
9,574 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Clarke County
Utilities with service territory in Clarke 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% |
| Clarke Electric Coop Inc - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Clarke County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Clarke County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,770 | $52,224 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 115 | $39,247 | 0.46 |
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 Clarke County
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local moratorium on data centers until a condition is met | In force | 2026-01 |
Clarke County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Clarke County, Warren 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County | 9,574 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Decatur County | 7,655 | ▼ 5.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Lucas County | 8,847 | ▼ 12.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 17,270 | ▲ 9.2% | 137 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Ringgold County | 4,642 | ▲ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County | 11,829 | ▼ 3.3% | 424 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 57,331 | ▲ 15.7% | 44 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Wayne County | 6,738 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Clarke County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clarke County, Iowa?
2 utilities have service territory in Clarke County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, Clarke Electric Coop Inc - (IA). The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Clarke County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clarke County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is Clarke County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,770 jobs in 2025 against 4,488 in 2019 (+6.3%, BLS QCEW).
Does Clarke County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Clarke County, 1 in force.