Illinois Data Center Boom Could Bring 121,000 Jobs, but Only 2,800 Would Be Permanent

A projected $57 billion wave of data center construction in Illinois could generate 121,000 jobs through 2035, but researchers estimate that only 2,800 positions would remain once facilities are operating. Residential electricity bills could also rise by about $150 a year.

The Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) estimates that construction and related activity would produce most of the jobs over the coming decade. A further 41,751 jobs could result from increased consumer spending across the state. The long-term estimate is much smaller: 2,800 lasting positions. Researchers calculate that the projected $57 billion investment would equal roughly $20.2 million per permanent data center job.

Anthony Elmo, a researcher with Good Jobs First, said taxpayer-funded incentives should support good, long-term jobs. Property taxes could offer another benefit: operational facilities may generate nearly $300 million a year. Without tax abatements, researchers estimate that revenue could lower residents’ property taxes by 3% to 10%. Good Jobs First researcher Kristan Wong Karinen argued that tax abatements reduce the potential gain for residents.

For electricity costs, the estimate assumes data centers add 6.5 gigawatts of demand to Illinois networks by 2035 under a mid-range scenario. ILEPI says that could raise total system costs by almost 10%, with average household bills increasing about $12 monthly, or roughly $150 annually. Separately, PJM Interconnection projects 10.7 GW of added demand in ComEd’s northern Illinois service area by 2035, though some planned facilities may never operate. An environmental analysis estimates families across the wider PJM region could face increases of up to $70 monthly by 2028.