Living near a cell tower can potentially impact the worth of your property. While cell towers offer benefits like improved cellphone reception and increased tax revenue for certain areas of the city, many individuals are skeptical due to concerns about health risks and the potential decrease in property values. An increasing number of people prefer not to reside close to cell towers, and in certain regions where new towers have been installed, property values have dropped by as much as 20%.
Currently, there are over 418,000 cell towers across the United States, emitting microwave radiofrequency radiation, powering the mobile networks. However, plans are underway by the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) and its member companies to install an additional 800,000 towers over the next six years, which would represent almost a 300% increase in cellular infrastructure proliferation. These towers, along with small cell antennas, can now be seen scattered throughout residential streets, no longer disguised as faux pine trees.
The newer generation of mobile technology, 5G, requires more frequent placement of antennas, with a need for them every 500 to 1,000 feet, compared to the previous 4G standard, which required antennas every ¼ mile. Federal Communications Commission regulations mandate seamless coverage without any gaps.
By 2028, the number of cell towers installed in the U.S. is projected to more than triple to over 1.2 million, representing a 300% increase over a 20-year period.
The implications of this expansion raise concerns. As we currently operate within the fifth generation (5G) of mobile content and data delivery, with instant access to the latest news on our phones and tablets, self-driving vehicles on the roads, and AI becoming more integrated into our daily lives, the FCC continues to uphold regulations based on scientific data and health standards from 1996. However, in 1996, there were only 30,000 cell towers, significantly fewer than the current count, each emitting radiation levels just outside residential windows.
A 2014 report by the National Institute for Science, Law and Public Policy (NISLAPP) titled “Neighborhood Cell Towers and Antennas – Do They Impact a Property’s Desirability?” found that potential homebuyers and renters have less interest in properties located near cell towers and antennas. According to the report, 94% of surveyed individuals stated that the presence of a nearby cell tower or group of antennas would negatively affect their interest in a property or the price they would be willing to pay for it. Multiple surveys and published articles have documented property price drops of up to 20% in such cases.
In a study published in July 2021 called “Health Impact of 5G,” the European Parliamentary Research Service reported that wireless emissions used in 5G and 4G infrastructure, especially at lower radiofrequency radiation frequencies (below 6,000 megahertz), are “probably carcinogenic for humans, in particular related to gliomas and acoustic neuromas.” It also mentioned the potential negative effects on male and possibly female fertility, as well as the possible adverse impact on the development of embryos, fetuses, and newborns.
Extensive research has been conducted on the potential influence of cell towers on property values, and in general, living in close proximity to a cell tower seems to have a negative effect on the worth of properties.