Macon County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Macon and La Plata
No data center or power plant project is on record in Macon County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Macon County is home to Macon, La Plata and Bevier. Electrical contractors employ 36, up 38.5% since 2019 against up 21.5% statewide, at an average $67,553 a year. Next door, Adair County has 1 data center. Construction employs 144, down 17.2% since 2019. 11 MW has retired here since 2019, including Sub 3 Generating Station (petroleum, 7 MW, 2023).
Cities and towns in Macon County
Macon County is home to Macon, La Plata and Bevier.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Excello.
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 Macon County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,199 | 15,190 | ▼ 0.1% | 66th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,007 | 4,823 | ▼ 3.7% | 94th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $33,719 | $45,561 | ▲ 35.1% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 174 | 144 | ▼ 17.2% | 66th of 71 by growth |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 26 | 36 | ▲ 38.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.2% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 11 MW | — |
Owners plan to retire 1 MW more by 2035, led by Macon in 2026. Employers here counted 4,823 jobs in 2025, down 3.7% from 2019. Its power plants have 17 MW of capacity, 57% of it natural gas. Unemployment was 4.2% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Macon County, one of 5 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 15,190 people live here, down 0.1% since 2020.
Who powers Macon County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −11 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Macon 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% |
| Macon Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 10,023 | 14.82¢ | 16% |
| City of La Plata - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Macon - (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop Assn (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.
Operating power plants 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 10 MW | 57% |
| Petroleum | 5 MW | 26% |
| Solar | 3 MW | 16% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon Energy Center | City of Macon - (MO) | Natural gas | 10 MW | 2003 |
| La Plata | City of La Plata - (MO) | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2013 |
| Macon Solar Power Project | Missouri Jnt Muni.Pwr Elec. Ut. Comm. | Solar | 3 MW | 2015 |
| Macon | City of Macon - (MO) | Petroleum | 1 MW | 1985 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub 3 Generating Station | Petroleum | 7 MW | 2023 |
| Sub 2 Generating Station | Petroleum | 4 MW | 2023 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macon | Petroleum | 1 MW | 2026 |
The Macon County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,823 | $45,561 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 144 | $47,628 | 0.56 |
| Electrical contractors | 36 | $67,553 | 1.04 |
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 Macon County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Macon County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Macon County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Macon County, Randolph 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 15,190 | ▼ 3.7% | 17 MW | — | — | — |
| Adair County | 25,684 | ▼ 6.2% | 250 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Chariton County | 7,377 | ▼ 0.8% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Knox County | 3,728 | ▼ 5.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Linn County | 11,815 | ▲ 6.4% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Monroe County | 8,959 | ▲ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Randolph County | 24,513 | ▼ 2.6% | 1,242 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Shelby County | 5,870 | ▲ 1.0% | 15 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Macon County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Macon County, Missouri?
5 utilities have service territory in Macon County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Macon Electric Coop, City of La Plata - (MO), City of Macon - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Macon County?
4 operating plants with 17 MW of capacity. The largest is Macon Energy Center (10 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Macon County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Macon County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Adair County.
Is Macon County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,823 jobs in 2025 against 5,007 in 2019 (-3.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 174 to 144.
Does Macon County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Macon County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.