AI Data Center Land Buying Hits $6B as Power Premiums Rise
Data Center Knowledge, Wednesday, October 14th, 2026
US data center land purchases reached about $6B in 1H 2026, up 79%, as power access drives land value.
Avison Young reports that US data center land purchases hit roughly $6 billion in the first half of 2026, up 79% year over year, as hyperscalers, neoclouds and investors compete for AI campus sites.
In Northern Virginia, entitled land without power sells for about $4 million an acre, versus at least $6 million for powered land.
An Altus Group analysis found that committed utility load was the strongest predictor of price, with 230-kV or 500-kV sites trading at about 2.4 times the price of lower-voltage sites.
A truly power-ready site generally needs electrical infrastructure deliverable within about 18 months.