Understanding Oregon’s Data Center Industry: An Evidence Based Assessment
Data centers are the physical infrastructure behind much of today’s digital life. They are where the servers and other computing equipment used to store, process, and transmit digital information are housed. When people access banking or financial records, store photos and files in the cloud, shop online, use social media, conduct an internet search, or stream digital content, those activities ultimately rely on computing infrastructure housed in data centers.
Behind these everyday services are specialized facilities containing servers, data storage and networking equipment, along with the electricity, cooling, and communications infrastructure needed to keep those systems operating. Data centers are also part of broader digital networks, linking computing resources across facilities, telecommunications networks, and cloud platforms.
This assessment establishes a common foundation for understanding Oregon’s data center industry. It examines the location, scale, and characteristics of existing and planned facilities; electricity and water implications; workforce and economic contributions; property taxes and incentive programs; land-use and host-community characteristics; and Oregon’s position relative to selected peer markets.
The analysis draws on facility-level data, confidential employment records, economic modeling, county property tax records, geospatial analysis, public utility and water-resource information, and other state, federal, and industry sources. It also identifies areas where data are insufficient to understand impacts, and further research or reporting is needed.
The assessment does not determine (nor does it seek to determine) whether data center development is good or bad for Oregon or its economy, nor does it predict development beyond the identified project pipeline. Its purpose is to provide data and information to help policymakers, communities, utilities, industry participants, and other stakeholders understand the economic effects, infrastructure and resource demands, and tradeoffs associated with data center development.
No single metric can capture the significance of Oregon’s data center industry. This report therefore examines the industry across multiple dimensions, using the best available data to provide a more complete picture of its impacts, demands, and broader implications for Oregon.