They Had the Same Questions
Every community that has welcomed a data center started with the same concerns: water, noise, jobs, and taxes. Here is what actually happened in three rural towns across America.
Prineville, Oregon
From timber town decline to economic powerhouse
The Story
When Meta announced its first data center in Prineville, the town was reeling from the collapse of the timber industry. Unemployment was high, wages were among the lowest in the state, and the future looked bleak. Today, Crook County's average wages have risen from among the lowest to among the top in Oregon. The continuous construction phases have provided sustained, high-wage work for electricians, engineers, and heavy equipment operators, while the completed facilities employ hundreds in permanent, high-paying operational roles.
Local officials credit the data center investment with helping to diversify and stabilize the regional economy after decades of decline.
Community Wins
- Grants for local schools, non-profits, and community projects
- Major upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure
- Long-haul fiber optic connectivity brought to the region
- Economic diversification away from seasonal and timber work
Quincy, Washington
An agricultural town that built a new high school, hospital, and library
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Microsoft arrived in this small agricultural community in 2007 and the transformation has been remarkable. The massive increase in property tax revenue allowed Quincy to fund an entirely new high school, a modern city hall, a public library, a new police station, and a hospital. Microsoft also partnered with Big Bend Community College to create a 'Datacenter Academy' that trains local residents for IT and data center careers through hands-on internships.
Microsoft has committed to not accepting local tax incentives or subsidies for new projects, and to ensuring power infrastructure upgrades do not raise prices for existing residents.
Community Wins
- New high school fully funded by data center tax revenue
- Datacenter Academy at Big Bend Community College
- Industrial water reuse facility reducing groundwater impact
- Commitments to avoid raising utility rates for residents
New Albany, Ohio
Billions in investment driving the 'Silicon Heartland'
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What began with Amazon's early investment has grown into one of the nation's most prominent data center corridors. Amazon, Google, and Meta have collectively invested billions into the New Albany International Business Park. Amazon alone contributed approximately $1.4 billion to Licking County's GDP between 2015 and 2024. The permanent operational roles at these facilities are high-paying, often ranging from $85,000 to $100,000+ annually.
Revenue collected from data centers has been used to fund a police station expansion, recreation centers, and critical public amenities across the community.
Community Wins
- 'Think Big Spaces' STEM labs funded in local schools
- Fiber splicing training programs for workforce development
- Community Action Grants for local non-profits
- Police station expansion and recreation center funding
Fort Stockton, Texas (Project Horizon)
A 1.2 GW AI campus turning environmental challenges into competitive advantages
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Project Horizon, a 1.2 GW AI campus near Fort Stockton, Texas, is designed from the ground up to address key developer-community friction points. Situated on 559 acres of isolated desert, the project utilizes non-potable groundwater and a closed-loop liquid-to-chip system, meaning it consumes no municipal water. To eliminate strain on the public power grid, it features behind-the-meter generation using natural gas combined with carbon capture, solar, and batteries. Rather than disrupting local housing markets, the project supplies temporary on-site housing for builders and subsidized housing in Fort Stockton for operations staff, working closely with Midland College to hire locally.
Robert Bonar, CEO of Poolside Infrastructure: 'We believe there's a better solution here... We'll use more water for toilets than we do for cooling the data centers.'
Community Wins
- Workforce training pathways developed with Midland College's Fort Stockton campus
- Dedicated housing programs for builders and subsidized housing for operations staff
- Self-sufficiency shields Pecos County homes and businesses from grid spikes
- Zero draw on municipal potable water supplies
The Pattern is Clear
In every case, the communities that welcomed responsible data center development saw their schools funded, their infrastructure modernized, and their economies stabilized for a generation.