Data centers have moved into rural America. So have the concerns
A survey by the University of Illinois and Purdue University reveals a significant shift of data center construction towards rural America, where residents express high concern over rising electricity costs, agricultural land use, and water overuse. The report projects substantial energy requirement increases for data centers in several Midwest states and Virginia by 2030. It also highlights the challenges rural communities face in evaluating complex development agreements due to limited resources.
A recent survey by the University of Illinois and Purdue University, released on June 26, indicates a significant shift in data center construction from urban to rural areas across the United States. Rural residents surveyed expressed higher levels of concern compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, primarily regarding rising electricity costs, the conversion of agricultural land for data center use, and potential water overuse.
The study projects a substantial increase in energy demands from data centers, with requirements expected to more than double in Illinois and triple in Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin by 2030. This projection cites research from the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. A separate analysis by the Pew Research Center in April highlighted that while nearly 90% of existing data centers are in urban areas, 67% of planned facilities are earmarked for rural communities.
According to the Pew Research Center, over 1,500 data centers are currently under development nationwide. Virginia is identified as a leader in data center development, with 398 operating and 287 planned facilities, while Illinois leads the Midwest with 139 operating and 123 planned centers. Researchers from the University of Illinois noted that rural communities often lack the specialized resources—such as lawyers, engineers, and financial analysts—to effectively negotiate with large companies developing AI-scale data centers, leaving them ill-equipped to make informed decisions.