Madison County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Fredericktown
No data center or power plant project is on record in Madison County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Madison County is home to Fredericktown. Next door, Bollinger County has 400 MW of planned generation. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019. Its power plants have 28 MW of capacity, 100% of it natural gas. Employers here counted 3,552 jobs in 2025, down 3.1% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Madison County
Madison County is home to Fredericktown.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Cherokee Pass, Mine La Motte.
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 Madison County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 12,623 | 12,858 | ▲ 1.9% | 74th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,664 | 3,552 | ▼ 3.1% | 92nd of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,137 | $42,892 | ▲ 37.8% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.0pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Madison County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 12,858 people live here, up 1.9% since 2020.
Who powers Madison County
Utilities with service territory in Madison 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% |
| Black River Electric Coop - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,575 | 12.81¢ | 31% |
| City of Fredericktown - (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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 28 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredericktown Energy Center | Missouri Jnt Muni.Pwr Elec. Ut. Comm. | Natural gas | 28 MW | 2015 |
The Madison County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,552 | $42,892 | 1.00 |
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 Madison County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Madison County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Madison County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Madison County, Bollinger 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 12,858 | ▼ 3.1% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Bollinger County | 10,646 | ▼ 0.6% | — | 400 MW | — | — |
| Iron County | 9,318 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Perry County | 19,093 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| St. Francois County | 67,809 | ▼ 0.8% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 10,782 | ▼ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Madison County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Madison County, Missouri?
3 utilities have service territory in Madison County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Black River Electric Coop - (MO), City of Fredericktown - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Madison County?
1 operating plant with 28 MW of capacity. The largest is Fredericktown Energy Center (28 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Madison County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Madison County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bollinger County.
Is Madison County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,552 jobs in 2025 against 3,664 in 2019 (-3.1%, BLS QCEW).
Does Madison County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Madison County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.