Data Centers fuel digital frontiers and economic growth in North Central Washington

Imagine walking into a grocery store and picking up an apple without ever considering the vast agricultural network behind it—farmers, irrigation, storage, and distribution. In many ways, the conversation around technology advancements, cloud computing services and artificial intelligence without a conversation about data centers mirrors this perspective. Washington state is well positioned to maintain the considerable technology sector demand with no signs of slowing down any time soon, but not without recognizing the critical role data centers have in sustaining this technological advancement.

In February 2025, Governor Ferguson called for a task force to evaluate the economic impact of data centers across Washington State, including a closer look at their influence in rural North Central Washington. This assessment will consider the local transformation that began in 2006 when Yahoo opened the region’s first data center and has continued with steady construction and development of data center sites for industry leaders like Microsoft, Sabey, Vantage, and NTT and others. These companies were drawn to the area for good reason— the accessible land, stable and clean energy, low natural disaster risk, a robust fiber network, and access to a skilled local workforce are all strategic advantages. In return, rural communities in Grant County like Quincy have enjoyed considerable community benefit through direct community engagement investments and sizable contributions to the tax revenues that further fund essential community services like libraries, schools and other public facilities. 

In 2022, the Washington Technology Industry Association reported that rural data center operations generated approximately $158 million in annual economic output and supported around $70 million in wages and benefits. These figures translate into an economic lift with access to family-sustaining employment and long-term community prosperity.

Despite the evidence and duration of the positive local impacts, the data center industry is not well understood by the general public. Unlike traditional industries with well-defined labor structures, the workforce dynamics of data centers are often variable and standard labor market analyses tend to overlook the vast number of jobs tied to these facilities. National research estimates that while a small data center might employ 10–50 workers, larger centers require hundreds across diverse roles. Positions span from technical specialists, environmental and facilities engineers, and security professionals to business and contract service managers. Furthermore, many large data centers in North Central Washington operate similarly to retail complexes, hosting multiple tenants. Some hire directly, while others leverage second-party service contracts to manage national workforce placement, complicating job counts further. Moreover, the industry creates a considerable number of jobs in related fields. One national study suggested that for every direct job in a data center, approximately 7.2 additional jobs are created in related industries and service sectors, amplifying the overall impact on regional economic development.

The Apple STEM Network works regionally to ensure that every young person has access to the skills, resources and support that they need to prepare for local, well-paid, in-demand careers. The Apple STEM Network has been working for the last few years to develop local workforce pathways that allow young people to begin training and certification in local high schools, and transition to community colleges and employer training programs that prepare competitive candidates for employment within the data centers. The regional network believes that capturing these trends and understanding the data center workforce dynamics is critical. Network leaders conducted interviews and research earlier this year that revealed thousands of existing data center jobs in the region—with significant gains projected in the near future.

Building Community Connection Through Regional Data Center Summits

The Apple STEM Network is inviting regional leaders to further explore these trends and foster regional dialogue at two upcoming Data Center Summits:

• Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – Moses Lake 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Big Bend Community College, WEC Building
• Friday, May 2, 2025 – Wenatchee 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Wenatchee Valley College, MET Event Center

Apple STEM Network Director, Holly Bringman shared that she hopes that the summits will “provide answers to critical questions, such as what does it take to power our digital world right here in NCW and offer a unique opportunity for business and industry leaders, educators, workforce experts, and community members to come together and explore the future of this emerging technology industry in our region.”

Community members can register to attend the summit here: https://ncwtech.info/datacenter2025