Study: property values near data centers grew less than county

A recent study by Denver-based Integra Realty Resources analyzed the impact of data centers on nearby home values in Indiana, revealing mixed results. The study, which examined Zillow estimated values from 2021 to the present for homes within 1.5 miles of four data centers, found that property values increased near all facilities. However, in three of the four cases—Microsoft's center in LaPorte, Google's in Fort Wayne, and Meta's in Jeffersonville—these increases were less than the countywide average. The sole exception was Amazon's large complex near New Carlisle, where nearby property values rose by 49%, significantly outperforming the 32% countywide increase. The study, presented in support of a developer's successful zoning variance for an Indianapolis data center, did not offer specific reasons for Amazon's divergent outcome. This analysis comes as Microsoft prepares to break ground on a new data center in Granger. Concurrently, the St. Joseph County Council recently rejected a developer's rezoning application for a data center on a 1,000-acre site along Chicago Trail near New Carlisle, highlighting ongoing local debates over data center development and land use.