Published October 23, 2026

An Hour From Charlotte, a Town Let Apple Build a Data Center: How Its Tax Rate Went Down

Written by Jay White

The Catawba River in Catawba County, North Carolina

About an hour from Charlotte, a small town made a bet most places wouldn't touch until years later: it let Apple build a massive data center. The surprise? The town's property tax rate went down.

The Charlotte Business Journal recently sat down with Scott Millar, who runs economic development in Catawba County, to unpack how it happened. Here's what to know.

How did Catawba County end up chasing data centers?

When the textile industry collapsed, the county lost mills that had used 500,000 to 1 million gallons of water a day. It was left with huge water systems and Duke Energy power lines, and nobody left to pay for them. So in 2006, years before anyone was protesting data centers, Catawba County went after them.

Did Apple's data center really lower the tax rate?

Apple landed in Maiden in 2009. According to Millar, two years later the town's tax rate dropped from 40 cents to 38 cents per $100 of value, and it's still 38 cents today. Microsoft is now building sites in the county worth at least $1 billion, and the county says Microsoft will pay property taxes on the full value.

Is Catawba County still recruiting data centers?

Not really. In a twist, Millar says the county has basically stopped chasing data centers and is going after life sciences and manufacturing instead. The data center chapter did its job: it put the county's stranded water and power infrastructure back to work.

What's the tradeoff for people who live nearby?

Data centers bring big tax value with barely any new traffic or school crowding. On the other side are the concerns neighbors raise everywhere: noise, water use, and power demand. It's the kind of project worth watching anywhere in the Charlotte region, because "what's getting built near me" is one of the first questions buyers ask.

If a data center wanted to build 2 miles from your house and it kept your tax rate flat for 15 years, would you vote yes or fight it? Tell us your answer and your town in the comments on the Reel.

Check out the full video here.