Putnam County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Union Township and Unionville
Putnam 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. Putnam County is home to Union Township, Unionville, Wilson Township and Elm Township. Next door, Adair County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 982 jobs in 2025, up 7.4% from 2019. Its power plants have 62 MW of capacity, 100% of it petroleum. Grundy Electric Coop, Inc is the largest utility serving Putnam County, one of 4 with territory here.
Cities and towns in Putnam County
Putnam County is home to Union Township, Unionville, Wilson Township and Elm Township.
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 Putnam County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 4,686 | 4,546 | ▼ 3.0% | 110th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 914 | 982 | ▲ 7.4% | 29th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $29,954 | $44,996 | ▲ 50.2% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.5% | 3.2% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, against 3.5% in 2019. 4,546 people live here, down 3.0% since 2020.
Who powers Putnam County
Utilities with service territory in Putnam County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grundy Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| North Central MO Elec Coop Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tri-County Electric Coop Assn (MO) | — | — | — | — | — |
| City of Unionville - (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 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum | 62 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unionville | Associated Electric Coop, Inc | Petroleum | 53 MW | 1976 |
| Unionville City of | City of Unionville - (MO) | Petroleum | 9 MW | 1935 |
The Putnam County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 982 | $44,996 | 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 Putnam County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Putnam County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Putnam County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Putnam County, Adair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 4,546 | ▲ 7.4% | 62 MW | — | — | — |
| Adair County | 25,684 | ▼ 6.2% | 250 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Appanoose County IA | 12,077 | ▲ 1.5% | 8 MW | — | — | — |
| Mercer County | 3,404 | ▼ 53.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Schuyler County | 4,140 | ▲ 58.1% | 400 MW | — | — | — |
| Sullivan County | 5,738 | ▼ 2.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County IA | 6,738 | ▲ 7.3% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Putnam County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Putnam County, Missouri?
4 utilities have service territory in Putnam County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Grundy Electric Coop, Inc, North Central MO Elec Coop Inc, Tri-County Electric Coop Assn (MO), City of Unionville - (MO).
What power plants are in Putnam County?
2 operating plants with 62 MW of capacity. The largest is Unionville (53 MW, petroleum).
Are there data centers in Putnam County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Putnam County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Adair County.
Is Putnam County adding jobs?
Employers counted 982 jobs in 2025 against 914 in 2019 (+7.4%, BLS QCEW).
Does Putnam County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Putnam County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.