Clinton County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Clinton, DeWitt and Camanche
Clinton County is a generation frontier for Iowa. Clinton County is home to Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche and Wheatland. 600 MW of new generation is planned here across 3 units, led by Hawkeye Solar II, LLC (solar), the largest pipeline among Iowa's counties. 150 MW of it is already under construction or built. Construction employs 676, down 8.3% since 2019. Unemployment was 4.8% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 18,870 jobs in 2025, down 6.9% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Clinton County
Clinton County is home to Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche and Wheatland.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Big Rock.
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 Clinton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 46,431 | 46,002 | ▼ 0.9% | 12th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 20,271 | 18,870 | ▼ 6.9% | 82nd of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,658 | $55,076 | ▲ 29.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 737 | 676 | ▼ 8.3% | 64th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 76 | 76 | ● 0.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.8% | ▲ 1.2pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 1 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 600 MW | 331% of today's fleet | 1st of 6 by size |
1 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 181 MW of capacity, 99% of it coal. Electrical contractors employ 76, unchanged since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $64,289 a year. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Clinton County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. 46,002 people live here, down 0.9% since 2020.
Who powers Clinton County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +1 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Clinton 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% |
| Eastern Iowa Light & Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,749 | 13.56¢ | 14% |
| Maquoketa Valley Rrl Elec Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,051 | 13.76¢ | 48% |
| City of Maquoketa - (IA) | Municipal | Bundled | 2,805 | 13.15¢ | 45% |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 180 MW | 99% |
| Solar | 1 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archer Daniels Midland Clinton | Archer Daniels Midland Co | Coal | 180 MW | 2009 |
| Clinton Schools | Interstate Power and Light Co | Solar | 1 MW | 2025 |
Planned generation 3
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkeye Solar II, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 250 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Hawkeye Solar II, LLC |
| Hawkeye Solar, LLC | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2028 | Hawkeye Solar, LLC |
| Rock Creek Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 150 MW | Built, not yet operating | 2026 | Rock Creek Solar LLC |
The Clinton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 18,870 | $55,076 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 676 | $64,863 | 0.68 |
| Electrical contractors | 76 | $64,289 | 0.56 |
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 Clinton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clinton County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide.
Clinton County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Clinton County, Rock Island 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County | 46,002 | ▼ 6.9% | 181 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Carroll County IL | 15,419 | ▼ 2.7% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Cedar County | 18,359 | ▼ 3.2% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County | 19,288 | ▼ 7.5% | 47 MW | — | — | — |
| Jones County | 21,253 | ▲ 1.2% | — | — | 2 | — |
| Rock Island County IL | 141,869 | ▼ 6.2% | 2,705 MW | — | — | — |
| Scott County | 175,259 | ▲ 2.1% | 3 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Whiteside County IL | 54,121 | ▼ 5.0% | 64 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
More of Iowa
Clinton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clinton County, Iowa?
5 utilities have service territory in Clinton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Eastern Iowa Light & Power Coop, Maquoketa Valley Rrl Elec Coop. The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Clinton, IA in?
Clinton is in Clinton County, Iowa. About 24,049 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Clinton County?
2 operating plants with 181 MW of capacity. The largest is Archer Daniels Midland Clinton (180 MW, coal).
How much new power is planned in Clinton County?
600 MW across 3 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 150 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Hawkeye Solar II, LLC.
Are there data centers in Clinton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clinton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Scott County.
Is Clinton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 18,870 jobs in 2025 against 20,271 in 2019 (-6.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 737 to 676.
Does Clinton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clinton County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.