Loudoun County: Balancing Data Centers and Community Concerns

Wed Oct 29 2025 00:10:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Residents in Loudoun County, Virginia grapple with the balance between the economic benefits of data centers and the impacts on their community environment.

Loudoun County, known as 'Data Center Alley,' is home to 199 data centers, raising both economic prosperity and community concerns. Residents report issues like noise pollution and rising electricity costs due to the incessant humming of these facilities. While data centers contribute significantly to the local economy, the residents advocate for better regulations to protect their quality of life.

When you cross into Loudon 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."

The overpowering appearance of these structures—often 100,000 square feet—changes the character of peaceful residential areas.

In addition to the noise concerns, locals voiced frustrations regarding rising electricity costs, which have surged by as much as 267% in areas near data centres, as revealed by a Bloomberg investigation.

While many local residents oppose the data centres, the industry also has powerful advocates, including political support suggesting that these facilities are necessary to sustain technological advancement.

However, as the infrastructure continues to expand, community activists like Ms Kasabian call for improved communication between industry and residents to address growing concerns over quality of life amidst economic progress.