Howard County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cresco
Howard 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. Howard County is home to Cresco. Construction employs 231, up 22.9% since 2019. 66 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind. Employers here counted 4,358 jobs in 2025, up 4.3% from 2019. Its power plants have 167 MW of capacity, 99% of it wind.
Cities and towns in Howard County
Howard County is home to Cresco.
- Riceville also extends into Mitchell 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 Howard County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,494 | 9,415 | ▼ 0.8% | 78th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,180 | 4,358 | ▲ 4.3% | 14th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,565 | $50,299 | ▲ 33.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 188 | 231 | ▲ 22.9% | 15th of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 66 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Howard County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 17.90¢/kWh in 2024, above the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 9,415 people live here, down 0.8% since 2020.
Who powers Howard County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +66 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Howard 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% |
| MiEnergy Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,006 | 16.91¢ | 34% |
| Heartland Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 4,351 | 12.67¢ | 12% |
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 | 165 MW | 99% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 1% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crane Creek Wind Energy Center | Wisconsin Public Service Corp | Wind | 99 MW | 2009 |
| Saratoga Wind Farm | Madison Gas & Electric Co | Wind | 66 MW | 2019 |
| Alliant SBD 9206 Donaldson | Industrial Energy Applications Inc | Petroleum | 2 MW | 1995 |
The Howard County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,358 | $50,299 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 231 | $62,662 | 1.00 |
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 Howard County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Howard County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Mitchell County.
Howard County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Howard County, Mower 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County | 9,415 | ▲ 4.3% | 167 MW | — | — | — |
| Chickasaw County | 11,663 | ▲ 5.3% | 229 MW | — | — | — |
| Fillmore County MN | 21,540 | ▲ 1.0% | 65 MW | — | — | — |
| Floyd County | 14,901 | ▼ 8.2% | 119 MW | — | — | — |
| Mitchell County | 10,650 | ▼ 17.9% | 526 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Mower County MN | 40,971 | ▲ 4.0% | 1,145 MW | — | — | — |
| Winneshiek County | 19,733 | ▲ 1.2% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Howard County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Howard County, Iowa?
3 utilities have service territory in Howard County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, MiEnergy Cooperative, Heartland Power Coop. The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Howard County?
3 operating plants with 167 MW of capacity. The largest is Crane Creek Wind Energy Center (99 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Howard County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Howard County.
Is Howard County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,358 jobs in 2025 against 4,180 in 2019 (+4.3%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 188 to 231.
Does Howard County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Howard County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.