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By 2030, Columbus, Ohio, is projected to surpass New York City, becoming the second-largest data center hub in the Great Lakes region, following Chicago. Currently, the region has 525 operational data centers, with an additional 224 planned.

Ohio has over 100 existing data centers and will add 77 more by 2030. This expansion is expected to increase the data center industry's energy consumption in Ohio from 5.3% to 10.9% in four years. New hyperscale data centers, like those operated by Amazon, Meta, and Google, consume about 30% more electricity than older facilities.

Data centers in Ohio are estimated to create around 22,300 short-term jobs and 4,500 permanent jobs. They contribute approximately $128 million in local tax revenue and $123 million in state tax revenue. However, local tax exemptions may reduce the overall economic benefit, impacting small businesses and low-income residents.