Report: Iowa data center boom carries billions in economic impact
A Common Sense Institute report says Iowa's data center operations could triple by 2031, with companies having already invested about $15 billion and announcing another $38 billion in planned investments over five years. QTS and Google projects in Cedar Rapids and near Palo are identified as major contributors, but the growth could consume nearly half of Iowa's average 2024 electricity capacity.
A report from the nonprofit Common Sense Institute projects that Iowa's data center operations could triple by 2031. Companies have already invested about $15 billion in Iowa data centers and have announced an additional $38 billion in investments over the next five years.
The report highlights QTS and Google data centers in Cedar Rapids and a proposed Google center near Palo as major projects, estimating that the developments could generate billions of dollars in economic impact and more than 29,000 jobs by 2031. Data center industry wages averaged about $126,000 last year, nearly twice the statewide average, but the report warns that current and planned facilities could use nearly half of Iowa's average 2024 electricity capacity.