Mills County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Glenwood and Malvern
No data center or power plant project is on record in Mills County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Construction employs 242, up 82.0% since 2019, and construction is 1.5 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Mills County is home to Glenwood and Malvern. 50 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by MidAmerican Energy Co (solar), the 5th largest pipeline among Iowa's counties. 50 MW of it is already under construction or built. Next door, Sarpy County, Nebraska, has 16 data centers and 272 MW of planned generation. Employers here counted 3,133 jobs in 2025, down 12.8% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Mills County
Mills County is home to Glenwood and Malvern.
- Tabor also extends into Fremont County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mineola.
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 Mills County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 14,413 | 14,793 | ▲ 2.6% | 52nd of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,593 | 3,133 | ▼ 12.8% | 95th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $44,389 | $56,621 | ▲ 27.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 133 | 242 | ▲ 82.0% | 3rd of 81 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.3% | 3.2% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 50 MW | no fleet today | 5th of 6 by size |
Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 2.3% in 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Mills County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. 14,793 people live here, up 2.6% since 2020.
Who powers Mills County
Utilities with service territory in Mills 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% |
| Southwest Iowa Rural Elec Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Mills County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills Solar Project | Solar Photovoltaic | 50 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | MidAmerican Energy Co |
The Mills County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,133 | $56,621 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 242 | $71,772 | 1.46 |
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 Mills County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Mills County. Iowa has 31 local measures on record statewide, and 2 neighboring counties have one: Cass County, Page County.
Mills County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Mills County, Sarpy 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mills County | 14,793 | ▼ 12.8% | — | 50 MW | — | — |
| Cass County NE | 27,657 | ▲ 6.8% | 346 MW | 792 MW | — | 1 |
| Fremont County | 6,522 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 10,002 | ▼ 2.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Page County | 14,856 | ▲ 0.5% | 234 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Pottawattamie County | 92,996 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,814 MW | — | 8 | — |
| Sarpy County NE | 208,303 | ▲ 14.0% | 866 MW | 272 MW | 16 | — |
More of Iowa
Mills County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Mills County, Iowa?
2 utilities have service territory in Mills County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Southwest Iowa Rural Elec Coop. The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Mills County?
50 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 50 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is MidAmerican Energy Co.
Are there data centers in Mills County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Mills County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Sarpy County.
Is Mills County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,133 jobs in 2025 against 3,593 in 2019 (-12.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 133 to 242.
Does Mills County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Mills County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.