West Coast Market Proximity Drives Hillsboro’s Data Center Growth

Hillsboro, OR had the highest leasing activity across all secondary markets in North America while also ranking in the top five in under-construction product in the first half of 2021, according to CBRE’s latest North American Data Center Trends Report. Hillsboro posted the largest net absorption total of any secondary market, with 14.7 megawatts (MW) of wholesale colocation space taken up during the first half 2021.

During that time, inventory in the Hillsboro market climbed another 20.3 percent to 112.4 MW. The market also has 61.9 MW currently under construction, the fourth highest across all markets covered in the report. Hillsboro’s growth is largely driven by access to clean, affordable power and its proximity to major West Coast markets facing supply constraints.

“The blistering pace of new data center supply in Hillsboro is great news for our regional businesses and organizations who are struggling to keep up with ever-increasing data storage, computing and regulatory demands,” said Carlo Castoro, associate based out of CBRE’s Portland office. “Eventually, the lightbulb moment occurs when a company realizes that it can greatly reduce IT expenditures while simultaneously boosting security. Our clients are often shocked when we show them how many options there are for relocating their data functions off-site. By helping our clients navigate this complex and evolving landscape, we help them to focus more on their core business functions.”