Perry County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Perryville
Perry County is not a build-out site today. It feels the boom through the grid it shares, the utilities that serve it and the work nearby. Perry County is home to Perryville. Next door, Bollinger County has 400 MW of planned generation. Construction employs 732, up 7.5% since 2019, and construction is 1.4 times as concentrated here as in the U.S. economy. Electrical contractors employ 16, at an average $48,927 a year. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Perry County, one of 2 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Perry County
Perry County is home to Perryville.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Biehle, Brewer, Lithium, Shakertowne.
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 Perry County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 18,971 | 19,093 | ▲ 0.6% | 58th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 9,559 | 9,627 | ▲ 0.7% | 67th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $38,486 | $53,977 | ▲ 40.3% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 681 | 732 | ▲ 7.5% | 53rd of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.7% | 3.1% | ▲ 0.4pts | — |
Unemployment was 3.1% in August 2026, against 2.7% in 2019. Employers here counted 9,627 jobs in 2025, up 0.7% from 2019. 19,093 people live here, up 0.6% since 2020.
Who powers Perry County
Utilities with service territory in Perry 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% |
| Citizens Electric Corporation - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 24,826 | 15.33¢ | 5% |
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 Perry County in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.
The Perry County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 9,627 | $53,977 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 732 | $74,883 | 1.44 |
| Electrical contractors | 16 | $48,927 | 0.23 |
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 Perry County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Perry County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Perry County and its neighbors
Of the 8 counties that border Perry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 19,093 | ▲ 0.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Bollinger County | 10,646 | ▼ 0.6% | — | 400 MW | — | — |
| Cape Girardeau County | 83,999 | ▲ 0.1% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Jackson County IL | 52,501 | ▲ 11.0% | 10 MW | 101 MW | — | — |
| Madison County | 12,858 | ▼ 3.1% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
| Randolph County IL | 29,921 | ▼ 9.4% | 1,504 MW | — | — | — |
| St. Francois County | 67,809 | ▼ 0.8% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 18,689 | ▲ 9.0% | — | — | — | — |
| Union County IL | 16,656 | ▲ 3.5% | 2 MW | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Perry County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Perry County, Missouri?
2 utilities have service territory in Perry County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Citizens Electric Corporation - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
Are there data centers in Perry County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Perry County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Bollinger County.
Is Perry County adding jobs?
Employers counted 9,627 jobs in 2025 against 9,559 in 2019 (+0.7%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 681 to 732.
Does Perry County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Perry County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.