Polk County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Des Moines, Ankeny and West Des Moines
Polk County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 30 data centers in Polk County, 35% of Iowa's total. Polk County is home to Des Moines, Ankeny, most of West Des Moines (48,591 of its 74,224 residents) and most of Urbandale (35,632 of its 48,570 residents). Electrical contractors employ 3,535, up 61.1% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $88,714 a year. Construction employs 20,832, up 22.3% since 2019. Its power plants have 1,066 MW of capacity, 98% of it natural gas, the 5th largest fleet in Iowa.
Cities and towns in Polk County
Polk County is home to Des Moines, Ankeny, most of West Des Moines (48,591 of its 74,224 residents) and most of Urbandale (35,632 of its 48,570 residents).
- West Des Moines also extends into Dallas County.
- Urbandale also extends into Dallas County.
- Clive also extends into Dallas County.
- Granger also extends into Dallas County.
- Sheldahl also extends into Story County.
- Carlisle also extends into Warren County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Saylorville.
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 Polk County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 493,013 | 516,546 | ▲ 4.8% | 1st of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 303,035 | 314,942 | ▲ 3.9% | 16th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $58,310 | $75,176 | ▲ 28.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 17,029 | 20,832 | ▲ 22.3% | 17th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,194 | 3,535 | ▲ 61.1% | — |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 717 | 644 | ▼ 10.2% | — |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 991 | 1,155 | ▲ 16.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.8% | ▲ 1.1pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.8% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 314,942 jobs in 2025, up 3.9% from 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Polk 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. 516,546 people live here, up 4.8% since 2020, 1st of 99 Iowa counties by population.
Who powers Polk County
Utilities with service territory in Polk 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% |
| Midland Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 11,939 | 13.60¢ | 12% |
| Consumers Energy Coop - (IA) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,922 | 15.00¢ | 13% |
| Waverly Municipal Elec Utility | — | — | — | — | — |
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 8
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 1,050 MW | 98% |
| Other technologies | 14 MW | 1% |
| Petroleum | 2 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Des Moines | MidAmerican Energy Co | Natural gas | 576 MW | 2003 |
| Pleasant Hill | MidAmerican Energy Co | Natural gas | 180 MW | 1990 |
| Sycamore (IA) | MidAmerican Energy Co | Natural gas | 158 MW | 1974 |
| River Hills | MidAmerican Energy Co | Natural gas | 128 MW | 1966 |
| Metro Methane Recovery Facility | WM Renewable Energy LLC | Other technologies | 11 MW | 1998 |
| Archer Daniels Midland Des Moines | Archer Daniels Midland Co | Natural gas | 8 MW | 1988 |
The Polk County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 314,942 | $75,176 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 20,832 | $86,763 | 1.25 |
| Electrical contractors | 3,535 | $88,714 | 1.56 |
| Power and communication line construction | 644 | $83,293 | 1.27 |
| Electric utilities | 338 | $134,491 | 0.40 |
| Data processing and hosting | 1,155 | $123,977 | 1.18 |
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 Polk County
30 data centers in Polk County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Polk County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Polk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 516,546 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,066 MW | — | 30 | — |
| Boone County | 26,799 | ▼ 2.2% | 348 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Dallas County | 118,457 | ▲ 21.3% | 1 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Jasper County | 38,153 | ▼ 7.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 17,270 | ▲ 9.2% | 137 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Marion County | 34,192 | ▲ 8.4% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Story County | 101,291 | ▲ 1.8% | 431 MW | — | — | — |
| Warren County | 57,331 | ▲ 15.7% | 44 MW | — | 2 | — |
More of Iowa
Polk County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Polk County, Iowa?
5 utilities have service territory in Polk County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Midland Power Coop, Consumers Energy Coop - (IA). The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Des Moines, IA in?
Des Moines is in Polk County, Iowa. About 211,882 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Ankeny, IA in?
Ankeny is in Polk County, Iowa. About 77,833 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is West Des Moines, IA in?
Most of West Des Moines is in Polk County: 48,591 of its 74,224 residents, or 65%. The rest of the city lies in Dallas County.
What power plants are in Polk County?
8 operating plants with 1,066 MW of capacity. The largest is Greater Des Moines (576 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Polk County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 30 data centers in Polk County.
Is Polk County adding jobs?
Employers counted 314,942 jobs in 2025 against 303,035 in 2019 (+3.9%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 17,029 to 20,832.
Does Polk County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Polk County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.