How Quincy, Washington Became Microsoft’s Model Data Center Town

The right questions to ask when data centers make their pitch

In Quincy, Wash., data centers provide three-fourths of the city’s property tax revenue, and residents have watched their tax rates fall for years.

How Quincy, Washington Became Microsoft’s Model Data Center Town

The Grant County farming town of Quincy, Washington, home to roughly 8,100 people, has become a showcase for Microsoft as it argues data centers can deliver real benefits — like a new high school, hospital and aquatic center — to the towns that host them.

Robert Mayo: The devil Is in the data center details

In Quincy, Washington, data centers provide three-fourths of the city’s property tax revenue, and residents have watched their tax rates fall for years. Meanwhile, nationwide in 2026, more than 300 data center-related bills have been filed in 30 states, several…