'It's like we are living in a prison in our own house': Michigan couple say nearby data centre's nonstop noise has ruined their lives

Published 7 July 2026 · health

Michigan couple say life changed after a data centre arrived Why data centres make so much noise Residents say the issue goes beyond noise Can

Michigan couple say life changed after a data centre arrived Why data centres make so much noise Residents say the issue goes beyond noise Can constant environmental noise affect health? A growing challenge in the AI era What was once a quiet neighbourhood in southwest Michigan has become a source of constant frustration for one couple living beside a large data centre. Marjorie and Billy Finn say the facility's relentless humming noise now dominates their daily lives, making it difficult to relax outdoors, sleep at night or even enjoy conversations in their own home. Comparing the experience to "living in a prison," they claim the sound has driven away friends and family, diminished their quality of life and left them feeling trapped in the house they have called home for years.The dispute centres on a 30-megawatt Hyperscale Data facility in Dowagiac, a small city in southwest Michigan. The data centre began operating in 2022 after taking over a former industrial site, bringing with it rows of servers that require powerful cooling systems to run around the clock.The Finns, whose home sits directly across the road from the complex, say the constant humming started soon after the facility became operational.

According to the couple, what was once a peaceful neighbourhood has become dominated by an industrial noise that never truly disappears.Billy Finn has spent years documenting the sound using a handheld decibel meter. He says noise levels outside his home have risen from around 52 decibels when the facility first opened to about 60–61 decibels today, with occasional readings reaching 78 decibels.Inside the house, the sound is less noticeable, but the moment doors or windows are opened, the steady hum becomes impossible to ignore. Billy has compared it to standing near a busy city street or hearing a passenger jet taxiing in the distance, except the noise continues day and night without interruption.Marjorie Finn says the constant background sound has affected her sleep and made spending time in the garden far less enjoyable. She also claims fewer friends and relatives now visit because of the noise.Although many people picture servers as the loudest part of a data centre, the biggest source of noise is usually the cooling infrastructure. Modern data centres contain thousands of computers that generate enormous amounts of heat, requiring industrial-scale fans, chillers and cooling towers to operate continuously.The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has intensified the issue.