Data Center Boom Broadens, But Markets Matter

The data center market in the Americas continues to expand, but growth depends on local market conditions, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s Americas Data Center Update. The report, which covers the first half of 2026, indicated that power allocation, transmission constraints, infrastructure funding obligations and regulatory environments are leading to a “more varied growth environment than before.”

By the Numbers

Cushman & Wakefield said that the Americas accounts for 50.3 gigawatts (GW) of operational capacity, as development activity broke records, with 37.7 GW under construction, 91.7% of that precommitted. The planned development pipeline stood at 285GW.

The report noted that operators continue to pursue projects in Virginia, Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas because “the advantages these data center ecosystems provide remain difficult to replicate.” The benefits include network density, hyperscaler concentration, talent pools and established infrastructure.

Ten markets have more than 1GW of capacity under construction, four of which are in Texas.

Additionally, secondary and tertiary markets, including Cheyenne, WY; West Texas; Alberta; and Pennsylvania, are attracting operators.

Looking toward the Future

The report explained that artificial intelligence, cloud and enterprise digital transformation will continue to fuel demand throughout the Americas. At the same time, infrastructure readiness, regulatory certainty, and power availability will become increasingly important for development decisions.

“Ultimately, the Americas data center market is becoming more complex and geographically diverse than ever before,” Cushman & Wakefield said. “Going forward, each market will manage growth in a way that best suits its own interests.”

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