Scott County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Davenport, Bettendorf and Eldridge
Scott County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Scott County, 4% of Iowa's total. Scott County is home to Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge and Le Claire. Electrical contractors employ 1,782, up 42.7% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $105,367 a year. Construction employs 6,403, up 11.9% since 2019, and construction is 1.3 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Scott County
Scott County is home to Davenport, Bettendorf, Eldridge and Le Claire.
- Blue Grass also extends into Muscatine County.
- Durant also extends into Cedar County, Muscatine County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Argo, Big Rock, Park View, Plainview.
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 Scott County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 174,599 | 175,259 | ▲ 0.4% | 3rd of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 91,102 | 92,986 | ▲ 2.1% | 24th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,088 | $62,669 | ▲ 33.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,724 | 6,403 | ▲ 11.9% | 28th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,249 | 1,782 | ▲ 42.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 4.5% | ▲ 1.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 136 MW | — |
136 MW has retired here since 2019, including Riverside (natural gas, 136 MW, 2021). Its power plants have 3 MW of capacity, 100% of it other technologies. Employers here counted 92,986 jobs in 2025, up 2.1% from 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Scott County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities. 175,259 people live here, up 0.4% since 2020, 3rd of 99 Iowa counties by population.
Who powers Scott County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −136 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Scott 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% |
| Eastern Iowa Light & Power Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 20,749 | 13.56¢ | 14% |
| City of Durant - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eldridge City Utilities | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Long Grove - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Buffalo - (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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other technologies | 3 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport Water Pollution Control Plant | Davenport, City of - (IA) | Other technologies | 2 MW | 1995 |
| AgriReNew | AgriReNew | Other technologies | 1 MW | 2013 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | Natural gas | 136 MW | 2021 |
The Scott County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 92,986 | $62,669 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 6,403 | $86,511 | 1.30 |
| Electrical contractors | 1,782 | $105,367 | 2.66 |
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 Scott County
3 data centers in Scott County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Scott County and its neighbors
Of the 4 counties that border Scott County, Clinton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County | 175,259 | ▲ 2.1% | 3 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Cedar County | 18,359 | ▼ 3.2% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Clinton County | 46,002 | ▼ 6.9% | 181 MW | 600 MW | — | — |
| Muscatine County | 41,853 | ▼ 9.0% | 300 MW | 59 MW | 1 | — |
| Rock Island County IL | 141,869 | ▼ 6.2% | 2,705 MW | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Scott County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Scott County, Iowa?
7 utilities have service territory in Scott County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, Eastern Iowa Light & Power Coop, City of Durant - (IA). The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Davenport, IA in?
Davenport is in Scott County, Iowa. About 100,358 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Bettendorf, IA in?
Bettendorf is in Scott County, Iowa. About 40,710 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Scott County?
2 operating plants with 3 MW of capacity. The largest is Davenport Water Pollution Control Plant (2 MW, other technologies).
Are there data centers in Scott County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Scott County.
Is Scott County adding jobs?
Employers counted 92,986 jobs in 2025 against 91,102 in 2019 (+2.1%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 5,724 to 6,403.
Does Scott County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Scott County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.