State of the Market: Atlanta Rivaling Northern Virginia for New Data Center Development

According to CBRE’s “North America Data Center Trends H2 2024" report, the overall vacancy rate in primary markets fell to a record-low 1.9 percent at year-end. Only a handful of facilities with 10 MW or more are slated for delivery in 2025 and are not yet leased, reflecting the scarcity of large-scale available inventory.

Data,Centers,Filled,With,Rows,And,Rows,Of,Servers,As

Shutterstock

According to CBRE’s “North America Data Center Trends H2 2024" report, the overall vacancy rate in primary markets fell to a record-low 1.9 percent at year-end. Only a handful of facilities with 10 MW or more are slated for delivery in 2025 and are not yet leased, reflecting the scarcity of large-scale available inventory.

Also from the report:

  • Atlanta led all primary markets for net absorption in 2024 with 705.8 MW, well above perennial leader Northern Virginia’s 451.7 MW. This was the first time any market surpassed Northern Virginia in annual net absorption.
  • The average monthly asking rate for a 250-to-500-kilowatt (kW) requirement across primary markets increased by 12.6 percent year-over-year to $184.06 per kW, reflecting continued demand amid tight supply.
  • Markets like Charlotte, Northern Louisiana and Indiana are seeing significant investment due to tax incentives, available land and greater power accessibility. These markets are poised to grow as they attract hyperscale and colocation providers alike.

Related Resources: Local Guidelines for Data Center Development

Brett Widness is the managing editor of Urban Land. Previously, he worked in online editorial at the Washington Post, AARP, and AOL, now part of Yahoo!
Related Content
Members Sign In
Don’t have an account yet? Sign up for a ULI guest account.
E-Newsletter
This Week in Urban Land
Sign up to get UL articles delivered to your inbox weekly.
Members Get More

With a ULI membership, you’ll stay informed on the most important topics shaping the world of real estate with unlimited access to the award-winning Urban Land magazine.

Learn more about the benefits of membership
Already have an account?