Lincoln County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Troy, Moscow Mills and Elsberry
No data center or power plant project is on record in Lincoln County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Lincoln County is home to Troy, Moscow Mills, Elsberry and Winfield. Construction employs 1,242, up 21.8% since 2019, and construction is 1.8 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Montgomery County has 3 data centers. Employers here counted 12,977 jobs in 2025, up 9.4% from 2019. 150 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar.
Cities and towns in Lincoln County
Lincoln County is home to Troy, Moscow Mills, Elsberry and Winfield.
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 Lincoln County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 59,842 | 66,676 | ▲ 11.4% | 18th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 11,866 | 12,977 | ▲ 9.4% | 22nd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $41,220 | $55,050 | ▲ 33.6% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,020 | 1,242 | ▲ 21.8% | 33rd of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.2% | 3.7% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 150 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
66,676 people live here, up 11.4% since 2020. Its power plants have 150 MW of capacity, 100% of it solar. Unemployment was 3.7% in August 2026, against 3.2% in 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Lincoln County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Who powers Lincoln County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +150 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lincoln 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% |
| Cuivre River Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,974 | 11.07¢ | 4% |
| Consolidated Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,649 | 12.96¢ | 13% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Solar | 150 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winfield Solar | Winfield Solar I, LLC | Solar | 150 MW | 2025 |
The Lincoln County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 12,977 | $55,050 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 1,242 | $73,126 | 1.81 |
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 Lincoln County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Lincoln County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: St. Charles County.
Lincoln County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Lincoln County, St. Charles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 66,676 | ▲ 9.4% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County IL | 4,300 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 11,590 | ▲ 9.0% | 6 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Pike County | 17,955 | ▼ 2.0% | 290 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Charles County | 426,499 | ▲ 7.1% | 1,104 MW | — | 1 | 1 |
| Warren County | 39,016 | ▲ 17.8% | 439 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Lincoln County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lincoln County, Missouri?
3 utilities have service territory in Lincoln County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Cuivre River Electric Coop Inc, Consolidated Electric Coop. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Troy, MO in?
Troy is in Lincoln County, Missouri. About 15,201 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lincoln County?
1 operating plant with 150 MW of capacity. The largest is Winfield Solar (150 MW, solar).
Are there data centers in Lincoln County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Lincoln County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montgomery County.
Is Lincoln County adding jobs?
Employers counted 12,977 jobs in 2025 against 11,866 in 2019 (+9.4%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,020 to 1,242.
Does Lincoln County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lincoln County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.