Date of Award

January 2025

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Nicole Deziel

Abstract

Background: The rapid expansion in the number and size of data centers, structures that house servers, storage, and networking equipment, in the United States has raised concerns about their environmental and public health impacts as well as the equity implications of where these facilities are built. Objective: This study examined national patterns of data center siting and identified demographic predictors of facility presence. Methods: Operational data center locations were obtained from the Data Center Map database, and county-level sociodemographic characteristics were drawn from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. A national spatial distribution map was created to visualize siting patterns. Logistic regression models, including overall, urban-only, and rural-only specifications, were fitted to evaluate associations between data center presence and population characteristics. Results: Counties with data centers were more urban and had higher median household income and higher educational attainment than counties without facilities. In adjusted models, education and income remained significant predictors, especially in urban counties. Race and ethnicity were not consistent predictors after adjustment, and results differed between urban and rural settings. Discussion: Findings suggest that current siting patterns are shaped mainly by economic and infrastructural conditions rather than demographic vulnerability. The study also underscores the need for finer-scale and feasibility-focused research to evaluate whether demographic inequities emerge when comparing viable candidate locations that do and do not host data centers.

Comments

This is an Open Access Thesis.

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