Virginia Data Centers Added 1,610 Jobs for $1.9 Billion in Tax Breaks
Updated
Updated · Governing · Jun 24
Virginia Data Centers Added 1,610 Jobs for $1.9 Billion in Tax Breaks
2 articles · Updated · Governing · Jun 24
Summary
Virginia’s Department of Taxation told lawmakers data centers added 1,610 jobs statewide in fiscal 2025 while receiving $1.9 billion in tax benefits—about $1.2 million per new job.
Those results align with broader evidence that employment claims are often inflated: Brookings found job creation was overstated by roughly threefold across 770 facilities in 93 counties.
The gap reflects the type of projects many communities approve—colocation centers typically need only 20 to 30 permanent staff per 100 megawatts, far below the hundreds often implied in local pitches.
Georgia’s audit showed a similar pattern: $474 million in exemptions translated to nearly $289,000 per permanent job after official employment figures were revised to less than a third of the original count.
The findings sharpen pressure on local governments to demand written job commitments, clawback terms and verified comparisons before approving new data center tax deals.