Data Centers in Columbus

Columbus – Resilient Infrastructure for Central U.S. Operations

Columbus is a primary choice for enterprises requiring low-latency access to both Midwestern and East Coast markets. Its position as a stable, inland hub ensures high-stakes operations remain secure from coastal threats while maintaining the performance levels necessary for modern financial and retail services.

Columbus: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Columbus serves as a critical intersection for long-haul fiber, providing a neutral environment for high-stakes data transmission.

• Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Carrier count: over 15. The market features approximately 19 providers as of December 2025, ensuring competitive pricing and diverse routing options for resilient networking.
• Direct Cloud On-Ramps: Over 2, enabling access to 3 cloud regions. Localized access points for AWS and Google Cloud (GCP) minimize latency and reduce egress costs for hybrid cloud architectures as of December 2025.
• Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Peering is largely handled through private interconnects or via the Ohio IX, which facilitates efficient local traffic exchange and reduces reliance on distant hubs like Chicago.
• Bare Metal: Dedicated hardware options are widely available through providers such as Hivelocity and phoenixNAP, supporting high-performance workloads without the overhead of virtualization.

Power Analysis

Energy infrastructure in Columbus is purpose-built for industrial scaling, offering the stability required by large-scale colocation facilities.

• Average Cost Of Power: Industrial electricity is approximately $0.08/kWh, as of December 2025. This rate allows for predictable operational expenses and provides a significant cost advantage over coastal data center markets.
• Power Grid Reliability: The grid is supported by a mix of natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy, providing a redundant supply chain. Infrastructure in major data center corridors is well-engineered with multi-substation support to ensure continuous uptime.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

The Columbus business environment is built to support rapid growth and wide-scale distribution.

• Proximity To Key Business Districts: Data centers are concentrated near the New Albany tech corridor and downtown Columbus. This placement provides immediate proximity to a dense concentration of financial services, healthcare, and retail corporate headquarters.
• Regional Market Reach: A centrally located Columbus facility can serve nearly 50% of the U.S. population within a one-day drive. This makes it an ideal spot for edge computing and logistics-heavy digital services.
• Tax Advantage For Data Centers: Ohio offers aggressive, negotiated tax incentives for qualifying data center projects. These programs focus on reducing the long-term cost of ownership by providing relief on sales and use taxes for equipment.

Natural Disaster Risk

Columbus maintains a very low environmental risk profile, making it one of the safest regions in the United States for critical data storage.

• Risk Rubric: Low (19.5) – as of December 2025.
• Primary Hazards: The main natural risks are limited to Hail, Heat Waves, Severe Wind, Tornadoes, and Winter Weather.
• Inland Security: Due to its inland location, the region has no material risk from coastal flooding or tsunamis. Most weather events are seasonal and manageable through standard facility hardening and redundant HVAC systems.