Realtors Report No Uniform Economic Effect From Data Centers

The National Association of Realtors released its 2026 Data Center Impact Report, concluding that the U.S. data center boom has no single, uniform effect on local housing markets, jobs, or utility costs. While counties with 10 or more data centers reported higher median home values of $431,750 and faster employment growth of 16% compared to counties without them, the association cautioned that these areas were already wealthy technology hubs. Consequently, the report suggests these trends do not prove a causal link between the facilities and economic growth.

Residential impacts remain mixed, with 25% of surveyed Realtors reporting positive effects on nearby home values and 22% reporting negative ones. However, the commercial sector showed clearer gains, with 50% of agents reporting increased commercial property values. Industrial properties within two miles of a data center now command a 7% rent premium due to demand from logistics and manufacturing providers.

Infrastructure concerns persist as residential electricity rates in high-concentration counties rose 21.4% between 2020 and 2024, compared to 15.7% in other areas. This occurs as President Donald Trump promotes data centers as drivers of jobs and lower taxes. To address utility costs, the administration introduced a voluntary Ratepayer Protection Pledge, though critics from the Cato Institute argue the pledge lacks enforcement power.