Researchers studied 1,584 data centers across the United States to see what these huge investments bring to nearby communities. They found the buildings create modest local job growth. Once built, a data center usually needs only a few dozen workers, such as IT technicians, engineers, and security guards.
Billions of dollars are flowing into new data centers across the country, and towns are weighing what they get in return. This study gives local leaders and residents real numbers instead of promises: the facilities need land, power, and construction, but they do not create large workforces once running.
✦ Data centers run our digital lives, but they employ surprisingly few people.