How far do data centers have to be from homes?

There is no national setback standard; distances are set by local ordinances. The rules we can source are in the local rules tracker, and where a project publishes the distance to the nearest homes or schools, it is on its record.

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Data center projects near you

Q: Is there an AI data center near me?

Search your ZIP code on this page. Each tracked project lists the companies named in its records, so campuses announced for AI work are identified on the project page along with planned capacity. AI-focused hyperscale campuses are typically 100 MW or more, while a conventional data center is often 10 to 25 MW.

Q: How do I find out if a data center is planned near me?

Search your ZIP code here, open your state page for every tracked project and recent votes, and check the hearings calendar for upcoming council and commission meetings. Proposals usually surface first as a rezoning or special exception application at a county or city planning office, often under a code name.

Enter a ZIP code to see which of the 186 tracked projects are near it, how far away each one is, and where each stands.

Wondering how much water a project may draw? See How much water does AI use?.

Looking for work? Search the jobs announced for projects near a ZIP code.

How this works

Your ZIP code is matched to the U.S. Census Bureau’s internal point for that ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZIP Code Tabulation Area internal points, 2024 Gazetteer Files). The Census then measures the straight-line distance to every tracked project. A few ZIP codes that serve only post office boxes or single buildings have no tabulation area; try a neighboring ZIP code or your location.

Your location, if you choose to share it, stays in your browser. Only the ZIP code you type is sent, to look up its point.

Local moratorium actions are counted when the U.S. Census Bureau internal point of the county, city or township that took them falls inside the circle. After a ZIP code search you can copy a link that reopens it, or make a square share image of the results; the image is drawn in your browser and is not uploaded anywhere. Searches by location offer no image, so a shared picture never shows where you are.

The Census tracks major projects, not every data center. A project missing here may simply not be in the record yet. Tell us about it.

Finding data centers near you: common questions

Is there an AI data center near me?

Search your ZIP code above. Tracked projects show the companies named in their records, so campuses announced for AI work — those naming OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, Meta, Microsoft, Google or Amazon as developer or announced tenant — are identified on each project page, along with planned capacity in megawatts. Very large capacity is the usual tell: an AI-focused hyperscale campus is typically 100 MW or more, while a conventional data center is often 10 to 25 MW.

How do I find out if a data center is planned near me?

Three ways, from fastest to most thorough: search your ZIP code here; open your state page to see every tracked project, recent votes and local rules; and check the hearings calendar for upcoming council and commission meetings where projects are decided. Proposals usually surface first in a rezoning or special exception application at a county or city planning office, often under a code name.

How close is too close?

There is no national setback standard; distance rules are set locally, and the ones we can source are in the local rules tracker. Where a record publishes the distance to the nearest homes or schools, it is on the project page.

What if my area has no results?

It may simply not be in the record yet. The Census covers major projects that have been researched and sourced, not every facility, and new ones are added every week. If you know of a project we are missing, send us a link.

Data centers near you, by state

Prefer to browse? Each state page has a map of every tracked project, its status and the latest local votes, permits and lawsuits.