Loudoun County: The Double-Edged Sword of Data Centers

Sun Oct 26 2025 12:31:04 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As Loudoun County becomes home to 199 data centers, residents are torn between the economic boom and the environmental costs, raising concerns about noise pollution and rising electricity bills.

Loudoun County, Virginia, known as 'Data Center Alley,' hosts 199 data centers, contributing significantly to the local economy. However, residents express growing concerns about noise pollution, rising electricity bills, and the overwhelming industrial presence in their suburban community, sparking a debate over the balance between economic growth and quality of life.

When you cross into Loudoun County, Virginia, one of the first things you notice is the hum - that's the sound of 199 data centres whirring in the background.

Few people have heard of this inconspicuous part of northern Virginia, which also happens to be the wealthiest county in America. But Loudon was on everyone's radar earlier this week, when a massive global Amazon outage downed everything from crucial banking services to fun Snapchat streaks for millions.

That's because the county is home to the world's largest swath of data storage and processing facilities - even outpacing China.

Data centres - dedicated spaces for computer systems that help power the internet and artificial intelligence - are essential to our global connectivity.

But while they have proven to be a lucrative business - contributing billions to the local economy - some residents worry the cost comes at too high a price.

There are some 200 facilities taking up about 45 million square metres in Loudoun, giving the county the nickname Data Center Alley.

Data centres take up 3% of the total land area of the county and 40% of its budget. And now more facilities are on their way.

Emily Kasabian was walking her newborn son along her picturesque neighbourhood road in Virginia earlier this year, when she saw something that stopped her in her tracks. A sign for a proposed data centre moving in across the street.

Two years ago, when Ms Kasabian purchased her home, she said she was relieved to be away from the data centres that have taken over other parts of the county. The lack of centres nearby was the reason many of her neighbours chose to live there, she said.

“I never thought that a data centre would be built across the street from my house," she said. “I would not have bought this house if I had known what was going in across the street."

Residents like Greg Pirio deal with associated consequences in real-time, particularly noise pollution that scares away wildlife.

In the past five years, wholesale electricity costs have skyrocketed in areas near data centres, sparking frustration among those living nearby.

The industry, backed by political figures, insists on the economic benefits and job creation brought about by data centres, but many locals feel caught between growth and their quality of life.

“These data centres are going up faster than we realised the implications of and then we're back-paddling to fix it," said Barbara Day, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to development.