Allen County, Kansas: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Iola and Humboldt
No data center or power plant project is on record in Allen County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Allen County is home to Iola, Humboldt, Iola Township and Marmaton Township. Construction employs 158, down 38.3% since 2019. 8 MW of new generation is planned here across 4 units, led by City of Iola - (KS) (other technologies), the 8th largest pipeline among Kansas's counties. 8 MW of it is already under construction or built. Unemployment was 5.4% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 205 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly wind.
Cities and towns in Allen County
Allen County is home to Iola, Humboldt, Iola Township and Marmaton Township.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Mildred.
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 Allen County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Kansas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,533 | 12,302 | ▼ 1.8% | 36th of 105 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,813 | 5,650 | ▼ 2.8% | 71st of 105 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,207 | $47,438 | ▲ 31.0% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 256 | 158 | ▼ 38.3% | 51st of 51 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 5.4% | ▲ 1.7pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 205 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 8 MW | 3% of today's fleet | 8th of 10 by size |
Its power plants have 229 MW of capacity, 87% of it wind. Employers here counted 5,650 jobs in 2025, down 2.8% from 2019. Evergy Kansas South, Inc is the largest utility serving Allen County, one of 7 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.25¢/kWh in 2024. 12,302 people live here, down 1.8% since 2020.
Who powers Allen County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +205 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Allen County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evergy Kansas South, Inc | Investor Owned | Bundled | 302,508 | 14.25¢ | 32% |
| City of Elsmore - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Iola - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of La Harpe - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Moran - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Heartland Rural Elec Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Savonburg - (KS) | — | — | — | — | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 199 MW | 87% |
| Petroleum | 19 MW | 8% |
| Natural gas | 10 MW | 4% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Queen Wind Farm | Prairie Queen Wind Farm LLC | Wind | 199 MW | 2019 |
| Iola | City of Iola - (KS) | Petroleum | 29 MW | 1969 |
Planned generation 4
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iola | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | City of Iola - (KS) |
| Iola | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | City of Iola - (KS) |
| Iola | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | City of Iola - (KS) |
| Iola | Petroleum Liquids | 2 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2026 | City of Iola - (KS) |
The Allen County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,650 | $47,438 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 158 | $49,879 | 0.53 |
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 Allen County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Allen County. Kansas has 24 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Bourbon County.
Allen County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Allen County, Linn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County | 12,302 | ▼ 2.8% | 229 MW | 8 MW | — | — |
| Anderson County | 8,018 | ▲ 15.0% | 14 MW | — | — | — |
| Bourbon County | 14,319 | ▼ 8.1% | — | — | — | 1 |
| Coffey County | 8,467 | ▼ 5.2% | 1,527 MW | — | — | — |
| Linn County | 9,950 | ▲ 7.6% | 1,599 MW | — | — | — |
| Neosho County | 15,637 | ▲ 2.0% | 431 MW | 7 MW | — | — |
| Wilson County | 8,299 | ▼ 19.5% | 6 MW | 65 MW | — | — |
| Woodson County | 3,118 | ▼ 9.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of Kansas
Allen County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Allen County, Kansas?
7 utilities have service territory in Allen County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Evergy Kansas South, Inc, City of Elsmore - (KS), City of Iola - (KS), City of La Harpe - (KS). The largest, Evergy Kansas South, Inc, charged residential customers 14.25¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Allen County?
2 operating plants with 229 MW of capacity. The largest is Prairie Queen Wind Farm (199 MW, wind).
How much new power is planned in Allen County?
8 MW across 4 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 8 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is City of Iola - (KS).
Are there data centers in Allen County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Allen County.
Is Allen County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,650 jobs in 2025 against 5,813 in 2019 (-2.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 256 to 158.
Does Allen County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Allen County. Kansas has 24 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.