Lewis County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Canton
Lewis County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Lewis County is home to Canton, La Grange, La Belle and Lewistown. Next door, Marion County has 1 data center. Construction employs 118, up 11.3% since 2019. Employers here counted 2,354 jobs in 2025, down 6.8% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.6% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Lewis County
Lewis County is home to Canton, La Grange, La Belle and Lewistown.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Williamstown.
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 Lewis County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 10,042 | 9,879 | ▼ 1.6% | 86th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,527 | 2,354 | ▼ 6.8% | 105th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,953 | $46,672 | ▲ 37.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 106 | 118 | ▲ 11.3% | 48th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.6% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.9pts | — |
Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Lewis County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 9,879 people live here, down 1.6% since 2020.
Who powers Lewis County
Utilities with service territory in Lewis 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% |
| Lewis County Rural E C A | — | — | — | — | — |
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 Lewis County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Lewis County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 2,354 | $46,672 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 118 | $59,797 | 0.95 |
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 Lewis County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lewis County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Marion County.
Lewis County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Lewis County, Adams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis County | 9,879 | ▼ 6.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Adams County IL | 64,267 | ▼ 1.2% | 12 MW | 140 MW | — | — |
| Clark County | 6,475 | ▼ 4.4% | 7 MW | — | — | — |
| Hancock County IL | 16,803 | ▲ 4.6% | — | 2 MW | — | — |
| Knox County | 3,728 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Marion County | 28,525 | ▼ 2.5% | — | 76 MW | 1 | 1 |
| Shelby County | 5,870 | ▲ 1.0% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Lewis County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lewis County, Missouri?
2 utilities have service territory in Lewis County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Lewis County Rural E C A. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Lewis County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lewis County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Marion County.
Is Lewis County adding jobs?
Employers counted 2,354 jobs in 2025 against 2,527 in 2019 (-6.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 106 to 118.
Does Lewis County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lewis County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.