Warren County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Indianola, Norwalk and Carlisle
Warren County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Warren County. Warren County is home to Indianola, Norwalk, Carlisle and Milo. Construction employs 1,310, up 12.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Employers here counted 13,611 jobs in 2025, up 15.7% from 2019 (the 3rd fastest growth of 99 Iowa counties). Electrical contractors employ 94, up 30.6% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $64,283 a year.
Cities and towns in Warren County
Warren County is home to Indianola, Norwalk, Carlisle and Milo.
- West Des Moines also extends into Polk County, Dallas County.
- Des Moines also extends into Polk 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 Warren County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 52,597 | 57,331 | ▲ 9.0% | 11th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,764 | 13,611 | ▲ 15.7% | 3rd of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,206 | $53,162 | ▲ 32.2% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,161 | 1,310 | ▲ 12.8% | 27th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 72 | 94 | ▲ 30.6% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 9 MW | — |
9 MW has retired here since 2019, including Indianola (petroleum, 9 MW, 2021). 3 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Its power plants have 44 MW of capacity, 92% of it petroleum. 57,331 people live here, up 9.0% since 2020. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Warren County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 11.01¢/kWh in 2024, below the 13.77¢ median for Iowa utilities.
Who powers Warren County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −6 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Warren 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% |
| City of Carlisle- (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Clarke Electric Coop Inc - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Indianola Municipal Utilities | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pella Cooperative Elec Assn | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 41 MW | 92% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 8% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola | Indianola Municipal Utilities - (IA) | Petroleum | 41 MW | 1977 |
| Indianola Solar | SE Municipal Iowa, LLC | Solar | 3 MW | 2025 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianola | Petroleum | 9 MW | 2021 |
The Warren County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 13,611 | $53,162 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,310 | $70,975 | 1.82 |
| Electrical contractors | 94 | $64,283 | 0.96 |
| Data processing and hosting | 18 | $135,288 | 0.43 |
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 Warren County
2 data centers in Warren County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Warren County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Warren County, Polk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County | 57,331 | ▲ 15.7% | 44 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Clarke County | 9,574 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Dallas County | 118,457 | ▲ 21.3% | 1 MW | — | 9 | — |
| Lucas County | 8,847 | ▼ 12.6% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
| Madison County | 17,270 | ▲ 9.2% | 137 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Marion County | 34,192 | ▲ 8.4% | 100 MW | — | — | — |
| Polk County | 516,546 | ▲ 3.9% | 1,066 MW | — | 30 | — |
More of Iowa
Warren County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Warren County, Iowa?
6 utilities have service territory in Warren County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, Interstate Power and Light Co, City of Carlisle- (IA), Clarke Electric Coop Inc - (IA). The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Indianola, IA in?
Indianola is in Warren County, Iowa. About 16,829 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What county is Norwalk, IA in?
Norwalk is in Warren County, Iowa. About 15,004 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Warren County?
2 operating plants with 44 MW of capacity. The largest is Indianola (41 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Warren County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Warren County.
Is Warren County adding jobs?
Employers counted 13,611 jobs in 2025 against 11,764 in 2019 (+15.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,161 to 1,310.
Does Warren County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Warren County. Iowa has 31 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.