Reynolds County, Missouri: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
No data center or power plant project is on record in Reynolds County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Reynolds County is home to Ellington. Employers here counted 1,701 jobs in 2025, down 12.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 408 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 3.9% in 2019. Union Electric Co - (MO) is the largest utility serving Reynolds County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024.
Cities and towns in Reynolds County
Reynolds County is home to Ellington.
- Bunker also extends into Dent 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 Reynolds County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Missouri |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 6,077 | 5,992 | ▼ 1.4% | 104th of 115 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,950 | 1,701 | ▼ 12.8% | 110th of 115 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $35,136 | $49,713 | ▲ 41.5% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.9% | 4.4% | ▲ 0.5pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
5,992 people live here, down 1.4% since 2020.
Who powers Reynolds County
Utilities with service territory in Reynolds 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% |
| Ozark Border Electric Coop | Cooperative | Bundled | 33,229 | 11.66¢ | 23% |
| Black River Electric Coop - (MO) | Cooperative | Bundled | 21,575 | 12.81¢ | 31% |
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 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 408 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taum Sauk | Union Electric Co - (MO) | Hydro | 408 MW | 1963 |
The Reynolds County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,701 | $49,713 | 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 Reynolds County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Reynolds County. Missouri has 21 local measures on record statewide.
Reynolds County and its neighbors
None of the 5 counties bordering Reynolds County has a data center, a power plant or planned generation on record.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reynolds County | 5,992 | ▼ 12.8% | 408 MW | — | — | — |
| Carter County | 5,418 | ▼ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Dent County | 14,584 | ▼ 5.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Iron County | 9,318 | ▲ 0.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Shannon County | 7,285 | ▲ 11.7% | — | — | — | — |
| Wayne County | 10,782 | ▼ 8.6% | — | — | — | — |
More of Missouri
Reynolds County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Reynolds County, Missouri?
3 utilities have service territory in Reynolds County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Union Electric Co - (MO), Ozark Border Electric Coop, Black River Electric Coop - (MO). The largest, Union Electric Co - (MO), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Reynolds County?
1 operating plant with 408 MW of capacity. The largest is Taum Sauk (408 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Reynolds County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Reynolds County.
Is Reynolds County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,701 jobs in 2025 against 1,950 in 2019 (-12.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Reynolds County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Reynolds County. Missouri has 21 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.