Clinton County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Cameron, Lathrop and Plattsburg
New generation is lining up in Clinton County. Construction employs 335, up 53.0% since 2019. Clinton County is home to most of Cameron (5,119 of its 7,341 residents), Lathrop, Plattsburg and Gower. Employers here counted 4,932 jobs in 2025, up 22.4% from 2019 (the 2nd fastest growth of 115 Missouri counties). 419 MW of new generation is planned here across 1 unit, led by Associated Electric Coop, Inc (natural gas), the 3rd largest pipeline among Missouri's counties. 419 MW of it is already under construction or built. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Clinton County, one of 6 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Clinton County
Clinton County is home to most of Cameron (5,119 of its 7,341 residents), Lathrop, Plattsburg and Gower.
- Cameron also extends into DeKalb County.
- Holt also extends into Clay County.
- Osborn also extends into DeKalb County.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Grayson, Lake Arrowhead.
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 Clinton County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 21,214 | 21,661 | ▲ 2.1% | 53rd of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,029 | 4,932 | ▲ 22.4% | 2nd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $37,125 | $49,502 | ▲ 33.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 219 | 335 | ▲ 53.0% | 10th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.6% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 419 MW | no fleet today | 3rd of 14 by size |
Unemployment was 3.6% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. 21,661 people live here, up 2.1% since 2020.
Who powers Clinton County
Utilities with service territory in Clinton County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,095,619 | 12.56¢ | 44% |
| Evergy Missouri West | Investor Owned | Bundled | 305,583 | 12.55¢ | 42% |
| Platte-Clay Electric Coop, Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 23,584 | 12.46¢ | 23% |
| Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 12,451 | 13.35¢ | 14% |
| City of Cameron | — | — | — | — | — |
| United Electric Coop, Inc - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
No operating power plant is located in Clinton County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 1
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turney Energy Center | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 419 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2027 | Associated Electric Coop, Inc |
The Clinton County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,932 | $49,502 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 335 | $60,728 | 1.28 |
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 Clinton County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clinton County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Clinton County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Clinton County, Clay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County | 21,661 | ▲ 22.4% | — | 419 MW | — | — |
| Buchanan County | 83,540 | ▼ 1.4% | 280 MW | — | — | — |
| Caldwell County | 9,012 | ▲ 2.8% | 25 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Clay County | 265,032 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | 33 | — |
| DeKalb County | 9,795 | ▼ 18.9% | 369 MW | — | — | — |
| Platte County | 114,400 | ▲ 0.3% | 1,754 MW | — | 7 | — |
| Ray County | 23,398 | ▼ 0.9% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Clinton County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clinton County, Missouri?
6 utilities have service territory in Clinton County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Evergy Missouri West, Platte-Clay Electric Coop, Inc, Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Clinton County?
419 MW across 1 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 419 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Associated Electric Coop, Inc.
Are there data centers in Clinton County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clinton County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Clay County.
Is Clinton County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,932 jobs in 2025 against 4,029 in 2019 (+22.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 219 to 335.
Does Clinton County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clinton County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.