Woodbury County, Iowa: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff and Moville
Woodbury County sits inside the data center build-out. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Woodbury County. Electrical contractors employ 556, up 78.8% since 2019 against up 25.6% statewide, at an average $78,443 a year. Woodbury County is home to Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Moville and Sloan. The Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure here (1 in force); the latest is “12-month data center moratorium (Resolution 14064)”. 1 project is on the Delay Watchlist, including MidAmerican Energy Salix Data Center Exploration.
Cities and towns in Woodbury County
Woodbury County is home to Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, Moville and Sloan.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Climbing Hill.
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 Woodbury County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 105,949 | 106,649 | ▲ 0.7% | 7th of 99 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 51,823 | 50,924 | ▼ 1.7% | 48th of 99 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $43,111 | $56,218 | ▲ 30.4% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,840 | 2,942 | ▲ 3.6% | 47th of 81 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 311 | 556 | ▲ 78.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.7% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 4 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Its power plants have 1,284 MW of capacity, 100% of it coal, the 2nd largest fleet in Iowa. Construction employs 2,942, up 3.6% since 2019. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. 4 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Employers here counted 50,924 jobs in 2025, down 1.7% from 2019. MidAmerican Energy Co is the largest utility serving Woodbury 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. 106,649 people live here, up 0.7% since 2020, 7th of 99 Iowa counties by population.
Who powers Woodbury County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +4 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Woodbury 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% |
| North West Rural Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,400 | 9.26¢ | 66% |
| City of Anthon - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Sergeant Bluff - (IA) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Western Iowa Power Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
| Woodbury County Rural E C A | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | — | — | — | — | — |
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 3
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 1,280 MW | 100% |
| Solar | 4 MW | 0% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Neal South | MidAmerican Energy Co | Coal | 696 MW | 1979 |
| George Neal North | MidAmerican Energy Co | Coal | 584 MW | 1975 |
| Neal Energy Center Solar | MidAmerican Energy Co | Solar | 4 MW | 2022 |
The Woodbury County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 50,924 | $56,218 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,942 | $76,267 | 1.09 |
| Electrical contractors | 556 | $78,443 | 1.51 |
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 Woodbury County
2 data centers in Woodbury County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Local measures 1
| Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month data center moratorium (Resolution 14064) | In force | 2026-06 |
Delay Watchlist 1
| Project | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MidAmerican Energy Salix Data Center Exploration | early stage amid county moratoriums | — |
Woodbury County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Woodbury County, Crawford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodbury County | 106,649 | ▼ 1.7% | 1,284 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Cherokee County | 11,369 | ▲ 2.2% | 212 MW | — | — | — |
| Crawford County | 16,237 | ▼ 5.0% | 102 MW | 252 MW | — | — |
| Dakota County NE | 21,687 | ▲ 11.9% | 4 MW | — | — | — |
| Ida County | 6,777 | ▼ 4.2% | 502 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Monona County | 8,539 | ▼ 1.4% | — | — | — | — |
| Plymouth County | 25,697 | ▲ 0.1% | 203 MW | — | — | 1 |
| Thurston County NE | 6,752 | ▲ 9.7% | 5 MW | — | — | — |
| Union County SD | 17,402 | ▼ 3.8% | — | — | — | — |
More of Iowa
Woodbury County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Woodbury County, Iowa?
7 utilities have service territory in Woodbury County in the EIA-861 2024 report: MidAmerican Energy Co, North West Rural Electric Coop, City of Anthon - (IA), City of Sergeant Bluff - (IA). The largest, MidAmerican Energy Co, charged residential customers 11.01¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Sioux City, IA in?
Sioux City is in Woodbury County, Iowa. About 86,354 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Woodbury County?
3 operating plants with 1,284 MW of capacity. The largest is George Neal South (696 MW, coal).
Are there data centers in Woodbury County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 2 data centers in Woodbury County.
Is Woodbury County adding jobs?
Employers counted 50,924 jobs in 2025 against 51,823 in 2019 (-1.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 2,840 to 2,942.
Does Woodbury County have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 local measure for Woodbury County, 1 in force.