Greene County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Jefferson
Greene County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Greene County is home to Jefferson and Grand Junction. Next door, Dallas County has 9 data centers. Unemployment was 4.0% in August 2026, against 2.6% in 2019. Employers here counted 3,139 jobs in 2025, down 6.1% from 2019. Its power plants have 74 MW of capacity, 98% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Greene County
Greene County is home to Jefferson and Grand Junction.
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 Greene County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,749 | 8,658 | ▼ 1.0% | 84th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,344 | 3,139 | ▼ 6.1% | 79th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,427 | $56,170 | ▲ 32.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 86 | 70 | ▼ 18.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.6% | 4.0% | ▲ 1.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Greene County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. 8,658 people live here, down 1.0% since 2020.
Who powers Greene County
Utilities with service territory in Greene 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% |
| Midland Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,939 | 13.60¢ | 12% |
| Calhoun County Elec Coop Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
| Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Grand Junction - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Guthrie County Rural E C A | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Paton - (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 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 73 MW | 98% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 2% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rippey Wind Farm | Greenbacker Renewable Energy Corporation | Wind | 50 MW | 2012 |
| Hardin Hilltop Wind LLC | Hardin Holdco LLC | Wind | 15 MW | 2007 |
| Junction Hilltop Wind Farm | Junction Hilltop Management LLC | Wind | 8 MW | 2012 |
| Grand Junction | City of Grand Junction - (IA) | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1994 |
The Greene County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,139 | $56,170 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 70 | $49,317 | 0.42 |
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 Greene County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Greene County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Boone County.
Greene County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Greene County, Dallas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County | 8,658 | ▼ 6.1% | 74 MW | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 26,799 | ▼ 2.2% | 348 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Calhoun County | 9,562 | ▼ 3.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Carroll County | 20,303 | ▼ 4.6% | 298 MW | — | — | — |
| Dallas County | 118,457 | ▲ 21.3% | 1 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Guthrie County | 10,782 | ▲ 3.2% | 214 MW | — | — | — |
| Webster County | 36,838 | ▼ 4.9% | 380 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Greene County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Greene County, Iowa?
7 utilities have service territory in Greene County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, Midland Power Coop, Calhoun County Elec Coop Assn, Raccoon Valley Electric Cooperative. The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Greene County?
4 operating plants with 74 MW of capacity. The largest is Rippey Wind Farm (50 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Greene County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Greene County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Dallas County.
Is Greene County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,139 jobs in 2025 against 3,344 in 2019 (-6.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 86 to 70.
Does Greene County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Greene County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.