Research and Data Supporting This Website
WMDataCenters.org was created to provide clear, factual information to help communities understand how data centers operate, how projects are reviewed, and how they may affect local infrastructure, public services, and economic development.
The information throughout this website is informed by publicly available research, government agencies, independent economic analyses, and case studies from communities across the United States.
These sources help provide context on topics such as infrastructure requirements, water and energy systems, economic impact, and how local governments evaluate and regulate development.
SOURCES
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Study completed on behalf of The Right Place. The consultant surveyed the 13 communities across the country where Microsoft has an operating data center, with 8 of the 13 (nearly 70%) responding. The survey assessed Microsoft's performance in other communities overall and evaluated the community's experience in relation to a number of the concerns being raised today in West Michigan.
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This guide is a resource designed to help local officials, planners, and municipal decision-makers understand and plan for data center development in their communities. The report covers the basics of how data centers work, the economic benefits they bring — including jobs, tax revenue, and infrastructure investment — and offers practical guidance on long-term planning and zoning. It also includes a model zoning ordinance that communities can adapt to welcome data center development while addressing common concerns such as sound, aesthetics, and sustainability.
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As data center development continues to grow across the country, several communities have taken a proactive approach, adopting zoning ordinances that welcome data center development while ensuring neighborhood character and quality of life are maintained. The examples below highlight model approaches worth considering as our local communities plan for these opportunities:
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Anderson Economic Group provided an independent assessment of the economic and fiscal contributions of a hypothetical data center development (under three different scenarios) in the state.
Source:
https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CMS_DataCenters02092026.pdf
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This document explains how electric infrastructure costs for large energy users are funded and confirms that infrastructure costs are paid by the requesting customer, not existing ratepayers.
Source:
Consumers Energy, Data Center Electric Service Overview
www.consumersenergy.com/-/media/CE/Documents/work-with-us/economic-development/michigan-growth/Growth_One-Pager_DataCenterTariffs_final_20260116.pdfUsed throughout:
• Electricity FAQ
• Grid upgrade funding explanation -
The Right Place, the regional economic development organization serving the seven-county Greater Grand Rapids region, is supporting local officials in understanding data center development. To better understand the impacts, a survey was distributed to municipal leaders across the United States whose communities host Microsoft data centers (see Appendix A for survey questions). The survey was sent to 13 communities and 8 responses (69% response rate) were received from mayors, city managers, planning officials, and municipal economic development leaders. Results from the survey were tabulated in addition to conducting several direct conversations with leaders who provided additional background information (See Appendix B for survey scale responses).
The goal of this analysis is to provide insights into how data centers affect local finances, infrastructure, quality of life, and community relations.
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This resource explains how Google designs and operates data centers to improve water efficiency, including reuse strategies, alternative cooling technologies, and long-term sustainability commitments.
Source:
Google Data Centers, Sustainability: Water Stewardship
https://datacenters.google/sustainability/water/Used throughout:
• FAQ – Water use and cooling systems
• FAQ – Closed-loop cooling and water reuse
• FAQ – Modern cooling systems -
Independent analysis documenting job creation, tax revenue, and economic impact of data centers in Virginia.
Source:
Mangum Economics, The Impact of Data Centers on the State and Local Economies of Virginia
https://biz.loudoun.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Data_Center_Report_2020.pdfUsed throughout:
• Case studies page
• Tax revenue examples -
The Michigan Public Service Commission regulates electric utilities and reviews large electric service agreements to ensure reliable service and protect existing customers from unfair cost allocation.
Source:
Michigan Public Service Commission – Electric Utility Regulation
https://www.michigan.gov/mpscUsed throughout:
• FAQ – Electricity rates and regulation
• FAQ – Utility oversight and customer protections
• FAQ – Infrastructure planning and service reliability -
This article outlines Microsoft’s approach to building data centers in partnership with communities, including job creation, infrastructure investment, sustainability practices, and community engagement.
Source:
Microsoft, Community-First AI Infrastructure, January 13, 2026
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2026/01/13/community-first-ai-infrastructure/Used throughout:
• Homepage – Opportunity section (job creation, infrastructure investment)
• Homepage – Potential Local Impact statistics
• FAQ – Economic benefits (approximately 150 permanent jobs per facility)
• FAQ – Infrastructure investment
• FAQ – Modern cooling systems and sustainability practices -
This report analyzes the economic impact of Google’s data center investments, including infrastructure spending, job creation, and broader economic effects across local and regional economies.
Source:
Oxford Economics, The Economic Impact of Google Data Centers, 2023
https://oeservices.oxfordeconomics.com/publication/open/297800Used throughout:
• Homepage – Opportunity section (“major infrastructure investment”)
• Opportunity section – infrastructure investment and long-term economic growth
• Examples from Other Communities – economic impact context -
This comprehensive economic impact study quantifies the role of data centers in supporting job creation, economic growth, and public revenue across the United States. The report finds that data centers are a critical part of modern infrastructure and generate significant indirect economic benefits beyond their direct employment.
The study found that data centers supported 4.2 million total jobs nationwide, including 560,000 direct jobs, and that each direct job in the data center industry supports more than six additional jobs elsewhere in the economy through supply chain and local spending impacts. It also found that the industry contributed up to $486 billion annually to U.S. GDP and nearly $100 billion annually in federal, state, and local tax revenue.
Source:
PwC, Economic, Environmental, and Social Impacts of Data Centers in the United States, prepared for the Data Center Coalition, September 2023
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63a4849eab1c756a1d3e97b1/t/65037be19e1dbf4493d54c6e/1694727143662/DCC-PwC+Impact+Study.pdfUsed throughout:
• Homepage – Opportunity and economic impact overview
• Economic benefits FAQ – job creation and economic multiplier effect
• Supporting statistic: “Each direct job supports more than six additional jobs”
• Supporting statistic: national economic and tax contribution of data centers
• Supporting statistic: total jobs supported nationwide -
This research analysis examines how data centers contribute to local economies, energy infrastructure, and job creation. PwC highlights that data centers generate significant economic ripple effects beyond direct employment, including indirect and induced jobs, tax revenue, and broader economic development.
The report found that data centers create a substantial economic multiplier effect. Specifically, a PwC study found that data centers provide a 6× multiplier of indirect or induced jobs for every direct job created, supporting broader workforce growth and regional economic activity.
Source:
PwC, A New Era of Load Growth: How Data Centers Are Becoming Part of Our Communities and Energy System, April 2025
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/energy-utilities-resources/library/data-centers.htmlUsed throughout:
• Opportunity section – broader economic benefits
• Economic benefits FAQ – job creation and multiplier effect
• Homepage supporting statements – long-term economic growth
• Supporting statistic: “Data centers create a 6× multiplier of indirect and induced jobs for every direct job.” -
This federal regulation establishes emissions standards for nonroad diesel engines, including Tier 4 clean diesel technology used in backup generators to significantly reduce emissions.
Source:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regulations for Emissions from Heavy Equipment with Compression-Ignition (Diesel)Used throughout:
• FAQ – Environmental impacts
• FAQ – Backup generators and emissions standards
• FAQ – Air quality and environmental compliance -
Independent reporting documenting tax base growth, job creation, and infrastructure impact from data center investment.
Source:
Wall Street Journal, What Happened When Small-Town America Became Data Center U.S.A.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/what-happened-when-small-town-america-became-data-center-u-s-a-410f25e9?st=Zzffvc&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalinkUsed throughout:
• Case studies page -
Analysis of economic impact and workforce effects of data center investments in Washington State.
Source:
Washington Technology Industry Association, Data Center Economic Impact Report, 2022
www.washingtontechnology.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WTIA-Report-Data-Center-Impact-January-2022.pdfUsed throughout:
• Case studies page