New analysis finds data centers generate construction, skilled-trades, and permanent technical jobs, while urging communities to evaluate individual projects on their objective merits and local impacts.
SALT LAKE CITY (September 2, 2026) – As communities across the country debate whether to approve data centers, a new report from Sutherland Institute shows that these projects can create significant employment opportunities, including high-paying construction, skilled-trade, and permanent technical jobs.
The report, “Building a Human-Centered Digital Future, Part 2: Data Center Job Creation,” by Sutherland Institute Tech Policy Analyst Ford Copple, is the second installment in his series examining how communities can navigate the rapid growth of data centers.
The report finds that data centers primarily create jobs in two ways:
- Construction and skilled-trade jobs: Large data center projects can generate sustained demand for construction workers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and other skilled tradespeople, especially as workers gain additional skills and experience. Workers with specialized skills who work on these projects often earn higher wages than they would elsewhere.
- Permanent technical jobs: Once online, data centers employ workers in technical support, maintenance, and other roles. The number of permanent jobs, however, varies significantly based on the facility’s size, design, power needs, level of automation, and operating model.
The report also cites recent high-quality research to show the full economic impact of data centers. A Brookings Institution study of more than 700 data centers found that counties receiving their first large data center experienced a 4% to 5% increase in total private employment over five to six years, along with a 3% to 4% increase in wages for existing workers and new hires.
The economic benefits also extend beyond direct employment. Data centers can expand local tax bases, support schools and community organizations, and contribute to workforce development efforts.
For example, Loudoun County, Virginia, often called “Data Center Alley,” reported that data centers generated nearly half of the county’s property tax revenue. In Utah, research from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute found that a $2 billion data center could represent more than 20% of the existing property tax base in 21 Utah counties and exceed the entire existing tax base in six of the state’s smallest counties.
The report also highlights Meta’s Eagle Mountain data center in Utah, which supported more than 1,200 skilled-trade jobs during construction and more than 300 permanent positions. The project also contributed $4.1 million to Utah County schools and provided more than 210 grants and sponsorships.
Even with these benefits, the report urges communities to base their decisions about data centers on accurate information and assessments of each project’s long-term benefits.
“Communities should look beyond headlines and evaluate each project on its individual merits,” Copple said. “The right question isn’t simply how many jobs a data center creates. It’s whether the jobs, tax revenue, and other economic benefits of a particular project align with what that community needs.”
Copple also cautions against relying only on job growth to make economic development decisions.
The report says policymakers and voters should resist blanket bans, preemptive moratoriums, and broad legislation that could prevent communities from considering projects on the merits.
While a data center may not be right for every community, the report finds that data centers can provide substantial economic benefits, particularly in rural communities where high-paying jobs may be scarce.
Sutherland Institute Tech Analyst Ford Copple is available for interviews. To speak with him, please contact Marketing Manager Kelli Pierce at the information below.
