Accelerated growth continues to define the data center industry, driven by surging demand for operational capacity across the Americas. First highlighted in our 2025 Global Data Center Market Comparison, this trend has only intensified, with no signs of slowing. Most demand in the Americas remains concentrated in the continental United States.
Power constraints remain a critical challenge, with utility availability playing a key role in site selection for hyperscalers and large colocation projects. Across many markets in the Americas, utility power queues are swelling, delivery timelines are lengthening, and interconnection requests are rising. These pressures are driven by the rapid expansion of AI, high-performance computing (HPC), neocloud, and GPU-as-a-service data center projects.
Established data center markets—such as Virginia, Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Portland and Eastern Oregon—continue to attract these projects alongside legacy workloads. However, power constraints, land costs, and regulatory hurdles are straining these markets’ ability to meet demand, increasing interest in emerging and peripheral markets.
Secondary markets are positioning themselves to capitalize on the challenges faced by established data center hubs. By adjusting economic development strategies, these markets aim to attract large-scale data center projects, boost their tax base and provide long-term opportunities for residents. Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Central Washington, New Jersey and Massachusetts are among the regions vying for AI and HPC projects by offering economic incentives, expedited approvals, and industry-friendly regulations. This reflects a growing trend in the AI-driven data center era: While established markets are still the most desirable, emerging Markets are increasingly viable alternatives.
The Americas region is a resilient and evolving landscape, defined by rapid growth and ongoing upgrades to meet the next wave of AI and HPC demand. Different geographies are addressing growth in diverse ways at national, state or province, and local levels. While some areas prioritize sustainability, others focus on resource allocation, protecting small ratepayers, or cost sharing for infrastructure improvements. Opportunities remain in the region, but deal structures, project requirements, and approval processes vary by location, requiring a nuanced approach to navigate this dynamic market.
Key markets featured in this report include:
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