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Data centers have been the hot topic in Central Indiana for the last two years, and I wanted to actually see it for myself before talking about it. So I spent a week driving all over the Indianapolis metro — the south side, the north side, all the way out to Lebanon — to look at what's really being built. And I'll be honest, I've never seen construction on the scale I saw at Meta's site in Boone County.

Here's the number that sums up why everyone's talking about this: Indiana has attracted close to $28 billion in data center investment, and at least 17 counties across the state have already passed moratoriums or outright bans in response. That's not a small, isolated NIMBY issue — that's a third of the state hitting pause at the same time.

So let's break down what's happening county by county, what's approved, what's stalled, and — since I work primarily with buyers and sellers in Hamilton County (Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Zionsville) — what it actually means if you're buying or selling anywhere in the metro right now.

Why This Matters If You're Buying or Selling

Data centers affect more than the view from your back porch. They can influence:

• Power bills — these facilities draw an enormous amount of electricity, and that demand doesn't disappear into thin air.
• Home values — proximity to a large industrial-scale facility can be a hard sell for some buyers and a non-issue for others.
• Noise and light pollution — data centers run 24/7, and residents near existing sites report constant humming and lights that never fully go dark.
• Zoning and future development — once a county approves a project, neighboring land often gets reevaluated too.

None of this means data centers are automatically bad for a neighborhood. Plenty of the same forces — jobs, tax revenue, infrastructure investment — cut the other way. But if you're house hunting anywhere in Central Indiana, it's now a legitimate due-diligence item, right alongside school ratings and flood zones.

Marion County: Indianapolis's Data Center Battleground

Marion County has seen the most activity — and the most pushback — of anywhere in the metro.

Three projects have been approved this year in Decatur Township alone. SBI got the green light in March for a six-building, $4 billion campus near the highway. When I drove out to see it, it was still an empty field, but given the scale of the approval, it's going to be highly visible once it breaks ground. Nearby residents have already taken the land-use decision to a judge, asking for a review of whether it harms the surrounding neighborhood.

On the east side, in Martindale-Brightwood, a project from Metro Blocks was also approved — but the requested tax break, reportedly up to $56 million, has run into trouble. The city's own economic development director came out against the incentive package and asked for it to be pulled, and a group of residents has filed a lawsuit to try to stop the project.

Just north in Irvington, a company called DC Blox was approved in mid-July. Residents there are now raising money to fund their own legal challenge.

Not every proposal has made it through, though. Google walked away from a Franklin Township site last year, and in February, American Tower pulled its plans for a smaller facility in Pike Township after significant community pushback.

The big one to watch: the city is moving to get ahead of all this. A new zoning category specifically for data centers is working its way through city government, with rules covering setbacks from homes, noise limits, and water usage plans. Alongside it, the City-County Council is set to vote on a proposed moratorium on new data center approvals running through the end of 2027. That final council vote is scheduled for August 10, so if you're reading this after that date, the outcome will already be public — worth a quick search before you make any decisions based on Marion County's zoning landscape.

Boone County: Inside Meta's Massive Lebanon Campus

This is the biggest project in the entire state, and I drove out to Lebanon to see it firsthand. Meta is building a $10 billion campus in the LEAP District — the same innovation corridor that's also bringing Eli Lilly's manufacturing investment. It's the largest data center under construction in Indiana by acreage, and it feels like it. Truck after truck was hauling in dirt, hundreds of cars filled the parking lot, and the pace of construction was honestly breakneck. It got approved in August of last year and broke ground in February — this is a full-speed operation building what genuinely looks like a small city from scratch.

Standing there, it's hard not to think through both sides of it. The job creation is real. But so are the open questions: Where is all that power coming from? Electricity prices have already climbed steadily over the past 15–20 years, and it's fair to ask what a facility of this scale does to that trend for nearby residents.

Here's the twist: even with Meta's project already approved and under construction, Boone County has passed its own one-year pause on any new data centers in the unincorporated parts of the county. In other words, the county that landed the biggest project in the state is still hitting the brakes on what comes next.

Morgan County: The Biggest Power Draw Yet

Morgan County doesn't have Marion County's legal drama or Boone County's scale, but it does have Google, which is building a 550-acre campus off State Road 42. A full buildout there is expected to require more than double the electricity needed to power every home in Indianapolis combined — which puts the regional power conversation in real perspective.

Hancock & Henry Counties: One Developer, Two Outcomes

A developer called Surge Development originally proposed a 775-acre data center near McCordsville in Hancock County, right next to Tuttle Orchards, a farm that's been operating since 1980. That proposal drew significant pushback and was ultimately pulled.

Surge didn't walk away entirely, though — the project shifted about 45 minutes east into Henry County, where it has since been approved (though it's not yet under construction as far as I could confirm).

Hendricks County: Approved, With Scrutiny Catching Up

Out in Hendricks County, near Plainfield, Vantage Data Centers already secured approval for a large site, passing unanimously through the town council with no dissenting votes. Even so, homeowners and local officials are now organizing to push for a possible pause — though that effort hasn't formally started yet.

What About Hamilton County?

This is the question I get most, since Hamilton County — Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Zionsville — is where I do most of my business. As of right now, there is nothing proposed or approved for a data center in Hamilton County. Land here is more expensive and the zoning environment is different, and that's held true through this entire wave of development.

That could change, and I'll keep watching it closely, but for now it's a non-issue for buyers looking in these communities specifically.

The Practical Takeaway

If you're buying or selling anywhere in the Indianapolis metro, add one question to your due-diligence checklist: what's proposed or approved within a mile of the home, and does that county have an active moratorium or zoning fight underway right now?

Quick recap of where things stand:

• Marion County — Multiple projects approved, multiple legal challenges, a citywide moratorium vote on the calendar
• Boone County — Home to the state's largest project (Meta), yet still pausing new approvals
• Morgan County — Google's 550-acre campus under construction, massive power draw
• Hancock County — Project pushed out after community pushback
• Henry County — Absorbed the relocated Hancock County project, now approved
• Hendricks County — Vantage Data Centers approved unanimously, pause efforts just starting
• Hamilton County — Nothing proposed or approved as of this writing

This is a fast-moving topic, and it's genuinely affecting how people think about buying and selling across Central Indiana. If you're weighing a home near any of these areas — or you just want a second set of eyes on what's happening in your specific neighborhood — reach out. I'm always happy to walk through what's actually going on versus what's just rumor.

Thinking About Moving to Indianapolis?

I'm Sean Hartwick — also known as The 317 Agent on Instagram — and I specialize in helping families relocate to the Indianapolis area. I work directly with every client (no team handoffs), and I'd love to be a resource for you and your family as you navigate this move.

Whether you have questions about neighborhoods, school districts, the home buying process, or just want to know what area is the best fit for your lifestyle, feel free to reach out. My personal cell and email are always available — just look in the description or contact me directly.

Let's get you home.

Sean Hartwick is a licensed real estate agent serving the Greater Indianapolis area. Follow him on Instagram @317agent.