Concerns that this data center will diminish neighboring property values are not supported by the available research. The most rigorous study to date — Data Centers and 2023 Home Sales in Northern Virginia, conducted by the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government — examined thousands of home sales across Northern Virginia, the most data center-dense region in the world, and reached a striking conclusion. Homes closer to data centers tended to sell for more than homes farther away — a trend that held true for single-family homes, townhouses, and condos.
Studies of data center developments across the United States consistently show that professionally developed, well-screened facilities do not demonstrably reduce neighboring residential property values. Data centers are not salvage yards, feedlots, or heavy industrial facilities. They are quiet, clean, and carefully engineered operations — more compatible with rural residential neighbors than many of the agricultural activities already permitted as a matter of right in Mason County’s zoning ordinance.
It is also important to note that the substantial new tax revenue created by a data center of this size will bolster essential public services—such as schools, roads, and emergency response—that support and increase property values across the entire county, not just near the project.
Direct links to articles mentioned
- Fredericksburg Advance — Independent Analysis of the GMU Study
https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/digital-insights-home-values-and - Reynolds Team Real Estate — Practical Summary
https://rtrsells.com/do-data-centers-impact-my-home-value/