Maries County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Belle
New generation is lining up in Maries County. Maries County is home to most of Belle (1,166 of its 1,379 residents) and Vienna. 400 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by Vesper Energy Development LLC (battery storage), the 4th largest pipeline among Missouri's counties. Employers here counted 1,398 jobs in 2025, up 13.7% from 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Maries County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. Unemployment was 3.5% in August 2026, against 3.4% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Maries County
Maries County is home to most of Belle (1,166 of its 1,379 residents) and Vienna.
- Belle also extends into Osage County.
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 Maries County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 8,455 | 8,397 | ▼ 0.7% | 97th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,230 | 1,398 | ▲ 13.7% | 11th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $31,816 | $42,359 | ▲ 33.1% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.4% | 3.5% | ▲ 0.1pts | — |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 400 MW | no fleet today | 4th of 14 by size |
8,397 people live here, down 0.7% since 2020.
Who powers Maries County
Utilities with service territory in Maries 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% |
| Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 29,956 | 13.01¢ | 13% |
| Three Rivers Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,561 | 12.47¢ | 18% |
| Gascosage Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 9,253 | 12.30¢ | 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.
No operating power plant is located in Maries County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vichy Solar | Batteries | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
| Vichy Solar | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2027 | Vesper Energy Development LLC |
The Maries County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,398 | $42,359 | 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 Maries County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Maries County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Maries County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Maries County, Miller 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maries County | 8,397 | ▲ 13.7% | — | 400 MW | — | — |
| Gasconade County | 14,784 | ▼ 5.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Miller County | 25,817 | ▲ 7.3% | 208 MW | — | — | — |
| Osage County | 13,611 | ▲ 11.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Phelps County | 45,247 | ▲ 7.0% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
| Pulaski County | 54,442 | ▲ 0.4% | 3 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Maries County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Maries County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Maries County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Intercounty Electric Coop Assn - (MO), Three Rivers Electric Coop, Gascosage Electric Coop. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
How much new power is planned in Maries County?
400 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is Vesper Energy Development LLC.
Are there data centers in Maries County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Maries County.
Is Maries County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,398 jobs in 2025 against 1,230 in 2019 (+13.7%, BLS QCEW).
Does Maries County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Maries County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.