Clay County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Spencer
Clay County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clay County. Clay County is home to Spencer and Everly. 299 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Electrical contractors employ 30, up 15.4% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $49,059 a year. Construction employs 466, up 3.6% since 2019.
Cities and towns in Clay County
Clay County is home to Spencer and Everly.
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 Clay County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 16,341 | 16,202 | ▼ 0.9% | 47th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 8,480 | 8,536 | ▲ 0.7% | 34th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,354 | $54,799 | ▲ 29.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 450 | 466 | ▲ 3.6% | 48th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 30 | ▲ 15.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 3.0% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 299 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 442 MW of capacity, 68% of it wind. Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Clay County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. Unemployment was 3.0% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 8,536 jobs in 2025, up 0.7% from 2019. 16,202 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Clay County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +299 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clay 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% |
| Iowa Lakes Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,714 | 13.78¢ | 22% |
| North West Rural Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,400 | 9.26¢ | 66% |
| City of Spencer - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 299 MW | 68% |
| Natural gas | 119 MW | 27% |
| Petroleum | 24 MW | 5% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upland Prairie | Interstate Power and Light Co | Wind | 299 MW | 2019 |
| Earl F Wisdom | Corn Belt Power Coop | Natural gas | 119 MW | 1960 |
| Spencer Gas Turbine | City of Spencer - (IA) | Petroleum | 24 MW | 1970 |
The Clay County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 8,536 | $54,799 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 466 | $62,106 | 1.03 |
| Electrical contractors | 30 | $49,059 | 0.49 |
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 Clay County
1 data center in Clay County is on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Clay County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Clay County, O'Brien 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 16,202 | ▲ 0.7% | 442 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Buena Vista County | 20,449 | ▼ 6.8% | 374 MW | — | — | — |
| Cherokee County | 11,369 | ▲ 2.2% | 212 MW | — | — | — |
| Dickinson County | 18,077 | ▲ 0.6% | 164 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Emmet County | 9,107 | ▼ 12.1% | 17 MW | — | — | 1 |
| O'Brien County | 14,220 | ▼ 0.5% | 754 MW | — | — | — |
| Osceola County | 5,980 | ▲ 9.7% | 167 MW | — | — | — |
| Palo Alto County | 8,899 | ▼ 3.7% | 374 MW | — | — | — |
| Pocahontas County | 6,819 | ▼ 22.1% | 378 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Clay County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clay County, Iowa?
5 utilities have service territory in Clay County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, Iowa Lakes Electric Coop, North West Rural Electric Coop, City of Spencer - (IA). The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Spencer, IA in?
Spencer is in Clay County, Iowa. About 11,218 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Clay County?
3 operating plants with 442 MW of capacity. The largest is Upland Prairie (299 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Clay County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 1 data center in Clay County.
Is Clay County adding jobs?
Employers counted 8,536 jobs in 2025 against 8,480 in 2019 (+0.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 450 to 466.
Does Clay County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clay County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.