DFW Data Center Alley Guide | Dallas-Fort Worth Market Intel

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex hosts one of the world's most significant concentrations of data center infrastructure. From the pioneering Telecom Corridor of Richardson to emerging hyperscale developments in Allen and beyond, DFW offers a mature ecosystem with continued growth potential.

The DFW Data Center Market

DFW's data center market has evolved over three decades from telecom-focused carrier hotels to today's hyperscale campuses:

Market Evolution

1990s: Telecom Corridor emergence in Richardson
2000s: Enterprise data center growth, colocation expansion
2010s: Hyperscale entry (Microsoft, Facebook, Google)
2020s: AI/cloud acceleration, market expansion to new submarkets

Why DFW?

Fiber density: Decades of telecom investment created unmatched connectivity
Central location: Low latency to both US coasts
Power infrastructure: Robust grid with competitive rates
Business environment: Texas tax advantages and pro-business policies
Workforce: Large technical talent pool
Corporate presence: Fortune 500 headquarters drive enterprise demand

DFW Submarkets

The DFW data center market spans multiple distinct submarkets, each with unique characteristics:

Richardson

Land Clearing →

The original data center hub along the Telecom Corridor. Mature market with extensive fiber infrastructure.

Capacity:800+ MW

Land:Limited - mostly redevelopment

Operators:CyrusOne, Digital Realty, QTS, Flexential

Plano

Land Clearing →

Growing market with strong corporate presence. Home to multiple Fortune 500 headquarters.

Capacity:500+ MW

Land:Moderate

Operators:Stream, Digital Realty, Aligned

Allen

Land Clearing →

Emerging hyperscale destination with major recent announcements.

Capacity:400+ MW (growing)

Land:Good

Operators:Meta, Google (rumored), others

Carrollton/Farmers Branch

Land Clearing →

Mature market near DFW Airport with excellent connectivity.

Capacity:400+ MW

Land:Limited

Operators:Digital Realty, CoreSite, T5

Fort Worth

Land Clearing →

Western expansion of DFW market with available land and power.

Capacity:300+ MW (growing)

Land:Good

Operators:Various enterprise, growing hyperscale interest

Irving/Las Colinas

Land Clearing →

Enterprise hub near DFW Airport with corporate data centers.

Capacity:300+ MW

Land:Moderate

Operators:Corporate campuses, colocation

Major Players in DFW

Hyperscale Cloud Providers

Microsoft Azure: Major campus in Quinlan/Hunt County, expansion ongoing
Meta (Facebook): Large campus in Fort Worth, Allen development
Google Cloud: Colocation presence, potential owned facilities
Oracle: Significant Austin presence, DFW expansion

Colocation Providers

Digital Realty: Largest DFW portfolio across multiple campuses
CyrusOne: Pioneer in Richardson, multiple facilities
QTS (Blackstone): Large DFW presence
Stream Data Centers: Growing portfolio
Aligned Data Centers: Plano and expansion

Site Selection Considerations

Power Availability

DFW benefits from robust power infrastructure, but capacity varies by submarket:

Oncor serves most of the market with good capacity
Some outer submarkets may require transmission upgrades
Lead times for new substations: 18-36 months
Power costs competitive with national averages

Fiber Connectivity

Richardson/Plano: Extremely dense, all major carriers
Outer submarkets: Good connectivity, growing
Diverse routes available for redundancy
Meet-me facilities: Infomart Dallas, others

Land & Zoning

Core submarkets: Limited availability, higher costs ($100K-$500K/acre)
Emerging areas: Better availability ($50K-$150K/acre)
Most jurisdictions have data center-friendly zoning
Height restrictions vary by municipality

Land Clearing in DFW

DFW site preparation varies by location within the market:

Vegetation Types

Eastern DFW: Dense trees, brush, blackland prairie remnants
Western DFW: More open, some mesquite and cedar
Development sites: Often former agricultural land or pasture

Cost Ranges

Service	Cost per Acre
Light vegetation clearing	$2,000 - $4,000
Heavy brush/tree clearing	$4,000 - $8,000
Complete site prep (with grading)	$15,000 - $35,000
Utility corridor preparation	$50,000 - $200,000 each

Future Outlook

DFW's data center market shows no signs of slowing:

AI demand: Cloud providers expanding AI/ML capacity
Enterprise growth: Corporate relocations drive demand
Geographic expansion: Development moving to outer submarkets
Power investment: Utilities adding capacity
Competition: West Texas emerging as complementary market

Frequently Asked Questions

DFW is the second-largest data center market in the United States (after Northern Virginia) with over 3,000 MW of power capacity and growing. The market includes hundreds of facilities ranging from enterprise data centers to massive hyperscale campuses from Microsoft, Meta, Google, and other cloud giants.

Key submarkets include: Richardson (original data center hub along the Telecom Corridor), Plano (expanding market with corporate presence), Allen (emerging with major hyperscale developments), Carrollton/Farmers Branch (mature market), and Fort Worth (growing western expansion). Each has distinct characteristics and availability.

DFW's data center market grew from several factors: the 1990s telecom boom created the Telecom Corridor with extensive fiber, central US location provides low latency nationwide, diverse power grid with competitive rates, business-friendly Texas environment, large available workforce, and major corporate headquarters driving enterprise demand.

DFW data center clearing typically costs $3,000-$8,000 per acre for vegetation clearing, with complete site preparation (including grading) running $15,000-$35,000 per acre. Costs vary by submarket, vegetation density, and project specifications. Land costs are higher than West Texas but infrastructure is more developed.

While some DFW submarkets are constrained, significant land remains available—particularly in outer submarkets like Allen, McKinney, Forney, and the Fort Worth area. Competition for prime sites is increasing, but developers continue to find suitable parcels for both hyperscale and enterprise projects.

Typical DFW data center site preparation takes 8-16 weeks depending on project size and site conditions. Fast-track projects can be compressed to 5-10 weeks with multiple crews. Permitting in most DFW jurisdictions is relatively efficient compared to coastal markets.

Building in DFW?

Bear Claw Clearing provides site preparation services throughout the DFW metroplex. From Richardson to Fort Worth, we have the equipment and experience to deliver on your data center project.

Get Project Quote Call (817) 435-4748