Moniteau County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to California and Tipton
No data center or power plant project is on record in Moniteau County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Moniteau County is home to California and Tipton. Construction employs 499, down 15.0% since 2019, and construction is 2.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Next door, Boone County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 4,014 jobs in 2025, down 4.8% from 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Moniteau County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Moniteau County
Moniteau County is home to California and Tipton.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Fortuna, Latham.
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 Moniteau County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 15,223 | 15,428 | ▲ 1.3% | 65th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 4,215 | 4,014 | ▼ 4.8% | 97th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $36,409 | $49,118 | ▲ 34.9% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 587 | 499 | ▼ 15.0% | 64th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.9% | 3.3% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026, against 2.9% in 2019. 15,428 people live here, up 1.3% since 2020.
Who powers Moniteau County
Utilities with service territory in Moniteau 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% |
| Co-Mo Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 31,119 | 15.18¢ | 14% |
| Three Rivers Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 22,561 | 12.47¢ | 18% |
| City of California - (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.
No operating power plant is located in Moniteau County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Moniteau County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 4,014 | $49,118 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 499 | $65,223 | 2.35 |
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 Moniteau County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Moniteau County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Moniteau County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Moniteau County, Boone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moniteau County | 15,428 | ▼ 4.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Boone County | 191,746 | ▲ 5.9% | 321 MW | 9 MW | 2 | — |
| Cole County | 77,908 | ▲ 2.2% | 132 MW | — | — | — |
| Cooper County | 17,136 | ▲ 3.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Miller County | 25,817 | ▲ 7.3% | 208 MW | — | — | — |
| Morgan County | 22,418 | ▲ 6.0% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Moniteau County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Moniteau County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Moniteau County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Co-Mo Electric Coop Inc, Three Rivers Electric Coop, City of California - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Moniteau County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Moniteau County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Boone County.
Is Moniteau County adding jobs?
Employers counted 4,014 jobs in 2025 against 4,215 in 2019 (-4.8%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 587 to 499.
Does Moniteau County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Moniteau County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.