Researchers studied 1,584 U.S. data centers that opened between 2000 and 2023. On average, each new data center was tied to 1,000 to 1,300 jobs in its county. But these jobs sit in supplier industries, not inside the facilities, and they take a few years to appear.
Communities weighing billion-dollar data center proposals often hear that the buildings employ only a few dozen people, and skepticism has stalled $156 billion in projects in 2025 alone. This study gives residents and local officials a grounded answer: real job growth does follow, but it comes through electricians, security firms, and suppliers, and patience is required before it shows up.
✦ Data centers create more local jobs than they advertise, just not the ones you'd expect.