The boom in AI infrastructure is producing a striking change in the U.S. landscape as enormous data center projects expand into farmland, forests and other undeveloped areas.
The buildout’s scale is sprawling. More than 1,300 data centers currently operate in the U.S., with about 2,200 additional projects either planned or under development. Of the currently operating facilities, nearly 100 are hyperscale data centers, each of which is capable of consuming 100 megawatts of power at peak operation, roughly enough electricity to supply 80,000 homes.
Another 120 hyperscale facilities are under construction and 460 are planned, according to data center market intelligence firm Cleanview.
What’s changing isn’t merely the number of data centers. Because AI computing requires enormous amounts of electricity and physical infrastructure, its growth is affecting where these facilities are built and how much land they occupy.
Only about 40% of existing hyperscale data centers were constructed on previously developed property. The remainder replaced forest and farmland, based on reporting by The Washington Post. About one-third were built on former agricultural land.
Historically, data centers were commonly located in or near relatively affluent metropolitan areas, where operators could access reliable electricity and high-speed Internet connections. The heavier power requirements of AI are altering that model. Now, developers are moving toward rural locations where land is cheaper while remaining close to fiber connections. Additionally, some data center operators are developing their own power generation rather than relying solely on local utilities.
High-Profile Data Centers
The physical size of these hyperscale projects is expanding. Instead of a single large building, hyperscale campuses can contain several enormous structures along with power equipment and supporting infrastructure.
A prominent example is SpaceX’s Colossus 2 data center near Memphis. Associated with Elon Musk’s xAI operations following the companies’ merger this year, the facility is located next to an existing natural gas power plant and uses large batteries to help manage electricity demand.
SpaceX has also acquired property in nearby Mississippi for off-grid power generation. While construction proceeds, temporary gas turbines are supplying electricity to Colossus 2. Residents near the company’s older Colossus facility have protested emissions produced by on-site generators.
Meta’s Hyperion project in rural Louisiana is expected to occupy more land than New York’s Central Park. But Hyperion may not remain exceptional for long. Based on projects currently scheduled for development, Cleanview estimates that by 2030 it would rank only fifth among U.S. data center campuses by square footage.
This growth, to be sure, is meeting resistance. During the second quarter of 2026, organized opposition affected at least 45 data center developments across 27 states, representing $68 billion in projects, according to Data Center Watch. Community concerns include pressure on electricity supplies, higher utility costs and water use.
Government responses are also increasing. Thirty states have adopted or proposed legislation or other measures addressing data center development and related concerns. Some communities have established moratoriums before developers even submitted applications.
Some developers have offered local incentives, including direct payments to residents, in an effort to gain support. In one example, a developer offered a $10,000 payment to each of the 4,500 eligible residents of Hazle, Pennsylvania to get a huge campus approved. Early reports suggest a mixed response from residents.
