Pike County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Bowling Green and Louisiana
Pike 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. Pike County is home to Bowling Green and Louisiana. Construction employs 330, up 20.0% since 2019. Next door, Montgomery County has 3 data centers. 50 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly solar. Its power plants have 290 MW of capacity, 83% of it natural gas.
Cities and towns in Pike County
Pike County is home to Bowling Green and Louisiana.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Ashley, St. Clement.
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 Pike County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 17,411 | 17,955 | ▲ 3.1% | 62nd of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 5,325 | 5,219 | ▼ 2.0% | 85th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,202 | $49,420 | ▲ 44.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 275 | 330 | ▲ 20.0% | 34th of 71 by growth |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.8% | 4.3% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 50 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 4.3% in August 2026, against 3.8% in 2019. Employers here counted 5,219 jobs in 2025, down 2.0% from 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Pike County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. 17,955 people live here, up 3.1% since 2020.
Who powers Pike County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +50 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Pike 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% |
| Cuivre River Electric Coop Inc | Cooperative | Bundled | 72,974 | 11.07¢ | 4% |
| Consolidated Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 7,649 | 12.96¢ | 13% |
| Ralls County Electric Coop | — | — | — | — | — |
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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 240 MW | 83% |
| Solar | 50 MW | 17% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peno Creek | Union Electric Co - (MO) | Natural gas | 240 MW | 2002 |
| Bowling Green Renewable Energy Center | Union Electric Co - (MO) | Solar | 50 MW | 2025 |
The Pike County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 5,219 | $49,420 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 330 | $79,381 | 1.19 |
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 Pike County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Pike County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Ralls County.
Pike County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Pike County, Audrain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 17,955 | ▼ 2.0% | 290 MW | — | — | — |
| Audrain County | 24,528 | ▼ 10.7% | 1,218 MW | — | — | — |
| Calhoun County IL | 4,300 | ▲ 4.5% | — | — | — | — |
| Lincoln County | 66,676 | ▲ 9.4% | 150 MW | — | — | — |
| Montgomery County | 11,590 | ▲ 9.0% | 6 MW | — | 3 | — |
| Pike County IL | 14,231 | ▼ 3.9% | 78 MW | 1 MW | — | — |
| Ralls County | 10,444 | ▲ 2.1% | 58 MW | 66 MW | — | 1 |
More of Missouri
Pike County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Pike County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Pike County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Cuivre River Electric Coop Inc, Consolidated Electric Coop, Ralls County Electric Coop. The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Pike County?
2 operating plants with 290 MW of capacity. The largest is Peno Creek (240 MW, natural gas).
Are there data centers in Pike County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Pike County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Montgomery County.
Is Pike County adding jobs?
Employers counted 5,219 jobs in 2025 against 5,325 in 2019 (-2.0%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 275 to 330.
Does Pike County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Pike County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.