Lucas County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chariton
Lucas 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. Lucas County is home to Chariton. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 2.1% in 2019. Next door, Warren County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 3,177 jobs in 2025, down 12.6% from 2019. 2 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Lucas County
Lucas County is home to Chariton.
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 Lucas County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,621 | 8,847 | ▲ 2.6% | 83rd of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,637 | 3,177 | ▼ 12.6% | 94th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $42,114 | $53,644 | ▲ 27.4% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.1% | 4.2% | ▲ 2.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 2 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 2 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Interstate Power and Light Co is the largest utility serving Lucas 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. 8,847 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Lucas County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lucas 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% |
| Chariton Valley Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| 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.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 2 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hy-Vee Customer Hosted 2.25MW Solar | Interstate Power and Light Co | Solar | 2 MW | 2024 |
The Lucas County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,177 | $53,644 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 90 | $53,986 | 0.53 |
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 Lucas County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lucas County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Clarke County.
Lucas County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lucas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas County | 8,847 | ▼ 12.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Appanoose County | 12,077 | ▲ 1.5% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Clarke County | 9,574 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Decatur County | 7,655 | ▼ 5.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 34,192 | ▲ 8.4% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 7,406 | ▲ 0.2% | 40 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 57,331 | ▲ 15.7% | 44 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Wayne County | 6,738 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Lucas County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lucas County, Iowa?
3 utilities have service territory in Lucas County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Interstate Power and Light Co, Chariton Valley Elec Coop, Inc, Clarke Electric Coop Inc - (IA). The largest, Interstate Power and Light Co, charged residential customers 17.90¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Lucas County?
1 operating plant with 2 MW of capacity. The largest is Hy-Vee Customer Hosted 2.25MW Solar (2 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lucas County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lucas County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Warren County.
Is Lucas County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,177 jobs in 2025 against 3,637 in 2019 (-12.6%, BLS QCEW).
Does Lucas County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lucas County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.