Pennsylvania Landowners Turn Millionaires After Selling Acres to Data Center Developers

In Salem Township, Pennsylvania, a wave of land sales to a data-center developer has created new millionaires, with roughly 100 families receiving between $1 million and $35 million for over 1,700 acres. Michael Hodgson, who sold his 14-acre parcel for about 60 times his purchase price, says the windfall lets him retire and build generational wealth. The developer paid $586 million, roughly $300,000 per acre, far above the $5,000-per-acre value two years earlier.

Community-benefit agreements tied to the deals promise millions for fire, police, medical, water, sewer and education services, and most sellers intend to stay locally, boosting the economy. Other families, like David and Marilee Kiliti, used their $20 million payout to rebuild a home and revive a local brewery. While the state has enacted some of the nation’s toughest data-center regulations, Governor Josh Shapiro says projects that gain community support and meet environmental standards will still be considered.