Cell Phone Towers

Mike Mozart / Flickr

Quick Takeaways

Cell phone towers use low levels of radio frequency waves
At ground level, the level of radio frequency waves is much lower than limits for safe exposure
5G health impacts need further study

Source: Cell Phone Towers (American Cancer Society, Jun. 1, 2020)

Discover the academic research on the effect of cell phone towers on property values. Impacts range from 2.65% to 7.6%, from Alabama to Savannah to Brisbane.

The American Cancer Society discusses the health effects of cell phone towers and calls for more research. Wildlife may be more sensitive to electromagnetic fields than humans. Current research shows that 5G does not have a negative health impact on humans and animals. Only some states require disclosure of cell phone towers or other nuisances.

Cell phone towers can be disguised as many things—pine trees, church crosses, cactuses, palm trees and street lights. Do they really fool anyone?

See References for more information.

References

NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.

Cell Phone Towers & Property Values

The Disamenity Value of Cellular Phone Towers on Home Prices in Savannah, Georgiapdf (The Empirical Economics Letters, Aug. 2019)

“We find that homes close to towers sell for a discount of up to 7.6% and that any noticeable effect disappears at 1500 feet.”

Wireless Towers and Home Values: An Alternative Valuation Approach Using a Spatial Econometric Analysis (Journal of Real Estate Finance & Economics, May 1, 2018) E

“On average, the potential external cost of a wireless tower is approximately $4132 per residential property, which corresponds to a negative price effect of 2.65%. The negative price impact of 9.78% is much more severe for properties within visible range of a tower compared to those not within visible range of a tower. This negative impact vanishes as radii distances exceed 0.72 km.”

The Impact of Cell Phone Towers on House Prices: Evidence from Brisbane, Australia (Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Jan. 1, 2018) E

“As we expected, the results clearly show that cell phone towers negatively affect adjacent property values, although in a relatively modest way. The negative impact decreases with the distance to the tower with by far the largest effect occurring within the first 200 m. Furthermore, the research confirms that all types of towers exert similar impact on property values despite various towers having different visual effects which demonstrate that the residents’ concern is more on health impacts than visual effects.”

The Impact of Cell Phone Towers on House Prices in Residential Neighborhoodspdf (The Appraisal Journal, Summer 2005)

If purchasing or renting a property near a CPBS [cellular phone base stations], over a third (38%) of the control group respondents said a CPBS would reduce the price of their property by more than 20%.

Cell Phone Towers: Risks & Health Concerns

A Call to Secure Our Cell Towers from Chinese Spying (The Hill, Jan. 26, 2024)

That’s why we introduced the bipartisan Defend Our Networks Act. We need telecom companies to remove China’s surveillance infrastructure and replace it with secure equipment, but we can’t force these critical businesses to go broke in the process.

Non-Ionizing Radiation from Wireless Technology (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Sep. 19, 2023)

Cell phone towers may broadcast higher levels of RF, so always remember to follow any warnings that limit access to the tower itself or the surrounding area.

Cellphone Towers on School Grounds Worry Some Detroit Parents (Chalkbeat, May 2, 2023)

Some Detroit parents and community members are pushing district officials and school board members to remove dozens of cellphone towers placed on school grounds, claiming that the radio waves emanating from the antennas could have unforeseen health effects on children and staff.

What You Should Know About Health Impact of Cell Towers (Government Technology, Mar. 13, 2023)

What does the research say about the health impacts of RF waves from cell towers?
Exposure to high levels of RF waves can be harmful because of the ability of the waves to heat up body tissues, but the levels of energy used by cell phones and towers are much lower and are not known to cause significant heating. Other health effects from low-level exposure have not been proven, but it's generally agreed that more research needs to be done in this area.

Is 5G Making You Sick? Here’s What Experts Say (Forbes, Jan. 16, 2023)

5G operates on two frequencies, the highest of which ranges from 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz notes Frontiers in Public Health[1]. “It is at those frequencies that the big gains in speed of data transfer are really expected,” says Collins. But he adds that the frequency in which electromagnetic radiation starts to ionize and becomes dangerous is about 3 million GHz, nowhere close to 5G.

Real Estate Q&A: Is There an Obligation to Tell Buyers About Nearby Cell Phone Tower? (RISMedia, Apr. 26, 2021)

“While most states do not require disclosure of neighborhood nuisances, such as cell towers or noisy neighbors, a few states do, and more are likely to in the future.”

Cell Phone Towers (American Cancer Society, Jun. 1, 2020)

“At this time, there’s no strong evidence that exposure to RF waves from cell phone towers causes any noticeable health effects. However, this does not mean that the RF waves from cell phone towers have been proven to be absolutely safe. Most expert organizations agree that more research is needed to help clarify this, especially for any possible long-term effects.”

Cell Phone Tower Aesthetics

Disguised as a 134-Foot Pine Tree, ‘Stealth’ Cell Tower Could Be First of Its Kind in Virginia Beach (The Virginian-Pilot, Oct. 3, 2021)

“A wireless telecommunications tower developer wants to build a 134-foot tall “monopine” tower, designed to resemble a pine tree, in the shopping center’s rear parking lot, behind the Food Lion.”

The Masquerading Cell Towers of the American West (California Sun, Apr. 27, 2021)

“Unlike power and landline companies, cell phone providers cannot resort to eminent domain. Camouflage became a tool to persuade reluctant land owners to allow the use of their property. Over time, the disguises have become more elaborate, with church crosses, water towers, and flagpoles now a part of the cell tower repertoire.”

Inside the Complicated Business of Disguising 5G Equipment (CNN, Mar. 2, 2021)

“Swapping out older street lights for 5G-capable ones to support that growth may sound like relatively minor process, but doing so will serve as a big step for many communities to become smart cities.”

eBooks & Other Resources

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Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.

Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience? Or Environmental Hazard? (Markham, ON: Safe Goods/New Century Publishing, 2001) HE 9713 B45

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