Data center-related companies now account for a record 14.4 percent of all new industrial leasing across the US, a report from Cushman & Wakefield has found.. This is an increase in the industrial leasing of these companies by 44 percent year-over-year in 2025.. – Getty Images.
The commercial real estate services company analyzed six US markets with significant amounts of data center capacity under construction, including Virginia, Atlanta, Chicago, and Austin, Phoenix, and Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas.. According to Cushman & Wakefield, this activity has created an estimated 81,000-124,000 total industrial and downstream jobs, with every 100MW of new data center development creating nearly 1,300 jobs and generating approximately $110 million in annual wages.. “Much of the conversation around data centers has focused on what happens inside the facility,” said Cameron Martin, global research manager at Cushman & Wakefield. “Our research shows there is also a significant economic story unfolding beyond the data center itself.
As new facilities come online, they create demand for an ecosystem of manufacturers, contractors, suppliers and service providers that lease industrial space, hire workers and contribute to local economies.”. Cushman & Wakefield estimates current data center capacity at 19.5GW across the six markets, with 11.7GW under construction and a further 84.9GW planned..
“AI is driving one of the largest infrastructure expansions we’ve seen in decades,” John McWilliams, head of data center insights at Cushman & Wakefield said. “Understanding its economic impact means looking beyond the buildings themselves to the broader industrial ecosystem that enables them. Those multiplier effects are becoming increasingly meaningful for developers, occupiers and the communities where this investment is taking place.”.
Thank you for your North American news subscription. More in Construction & Site Selection. 10 Apr 2026.
More in North America. 25 Jun 2026. 16 Apr 2026
